Iran's Greco-Roman wrestlers secure three semifinal spots, two eliminated at U20 World Championships

Tehran - BORNA - Ali Gharibi (63kg) and Amir Mehdi Saeidi Nava (77kg) advanced to the semifinals. Amir Hossein Nematzadeh (87kg) and Amir Hossein Abdoli (130kg) suffered defeats in the quarterfinals.

In the 63kg category, Gharibi defeated Dominica from Moldova 9-0, then beat Egypt's Ahmed Yousef 12-3, and advanced past Armenia's Marganyan 12-4 to reach the semifinals.

In the 77kg category, Saeidi Nava defeated Sweden's Zestraik Ved 10-0, then beat Russia's Berkovsky 9-4, and advanced past Ukraine's Baran 8-0 to reach the semifinals.

In the 87kg category, Nematzadeh defeated Kazakhstan's Tagayev 8-0 after a first-round bye, but lost 5-1 to Armenia's Petrosyan in the quarterfinals. He will need his opponent to reach the final to compete for bronze.

In the 130kg category, Abdoli defeated USA's Boger 9-1 after a first-round bye, but lost 6-5 to Egypt's Essam Hossein in the quarterfinals. He was leading 5-1 with less than a minute remaining when his opponent scored a four-point move. He will also need his opponent to reach the final for a bronze medal chance.

End Article