Iranian freestyle wrestler Amirali Azarpira captured the gold medal in the 97 kg category at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, defeating reigning world champion Rizabek Aitmukhan of Kazakhstan with a commanding 5-0 victory in the final.

Azarpira, already a world silver and Olympic bronze medalist, showcased complete dominance throughout the tournament. He opened with back-to-back technical superiority wins, beating Afghanistan’s Eqbal Ahmadi and Pakistan’s Mohammad Gulzar 11-0. In the semifinals, he repeated the scoreline against Turkey’s Rifat Gidak, securing his place in the final where he outclassed Aitmukhan.

His triumph delivered Iran’s third freestyle gold in Riyadh, following earlier titles by Rahman Amouzad (65kg) and Younes Emami (74kg). Ali Momeni (57kg) and Kamran Ghasempour (86kg) added bronze medals to Iran’s tally.

Azarpira’s emphatic run, capped by a shutout against a world champion, reinforced Iran’s strength in freestyle wrestling and highlighted the nation’s depth across multiple weight classes.

Hossein Amiri - Mojtaba Darabi