News / Sports

Iran freestyle wrestler has eyes set on 2016 Summer Olympics

Sunday, 17 January 2016 2:20 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 17 January 2016 2:21 PM ]

Iranian freestyle wrestler Reza Yazdani (© IRNA)

Iranian freestyle wrestler Reza Yazdani says he is training seriously to prepare himself for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is intent on collecting a gold medal at the prestigious international sporting event.

“I will train hard in national team camp. I missed 2012 Olympic gold medal due to injury so I have aimed to achieve gold medal at Rio Olympics,” said the two time World Champion, who won gold in the 2011 World Wrestling Championships and 2013 World Wrestling Championships in the 96-kilogram division.

The Leopard of Juybar, which is his nickname, went undefeated during the 2016 Takhti Cup international wrestling tournament at the 12,000-seater hall of Azadi Sports Complex in western Tehran, and dominated the 97-kilogram weight category by overwhelming his countryman Amir Mohammadi 7-4 in the final bout on January 14.

“I had flu before the tournament so I wasn’t in top form. I am not satisfied about my performance in the final contest, but I finished with gold medal,” Yazdani said.

Iran’s freestyle, Greco-Roman and Pahlavani wrestlers were crowned as the champions of the 2016 Takhti Cup international wrestling tournament, which was held in memory of the legendary late Iranian freestyle wrestler Gholam Reza Takhti.

Wrestlers compete during the closing day of the 36th edition of Takhti Cup international wrestling tournament in Tehran, Iran, on January 15, 2016. (Photo by Tasnim news agency)

The 2016 Takhti Cup international wrestling tournament, which served as a qualifying tournament for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, started in the Iranian capital city of Tehran on January 14, and finished the next day.

A total of thirteen countries, namely Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Hungary, Iran, Morocco, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tunisia and Ukraine took part in the event.

Takhti, the most famous wrestler in Iranian history, died on January 7, 1968. He claimed the gold medal in Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and won two silver medals in 1952 Helsinki and 1960 Rome Olympic Games.

Wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics is scheduled to take place from August 14 to 21 at Hall 3 of the Olympic Training Center in Barra da Tijuca.

Around 344 male and female wrestlers are expected to compete in 18 events of freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines.

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