Pakistan's Inam Reaches for Beach Wrestling Glory

Friday, March 27, 2020 - 15:39 By Vinay Siwach

Muhammad Inam had never been to the beach. His hometown of Gujranwala is a hamlet, landlocked enclave in the northeast corner of Pakistan. For Inam the ocean, the salty air, and the wave pounded sands of the beach were nothing more than fantasy.

That was until Inam was entered to compete in the 80+ kg beach wrestling category during the 2014 Asian Beach Games in Phuket, Thailand. There Inam tasted the salt air, but also defeat.

A star wrestler in Pakistan having won Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2010, Inam finished with a bronze medal in Phuket. For a man of his stature and ability, Inam thought, a bronze medal was an underachievement.

But it was also an opportunity.

Inam decided that in the coming beach games and championships he’d be more prepared than his opponents and decided to include beach wrestling in his daily mat training and lifting routines.

"The closest beach for us was 1,300 kilometres away in Karachi," Inam said. "Going there is not possible as I have an akhara [wrestling centre] here. Pakistan's wrestling lives Gujranwala."

Muhammad INAM (PAK) and friends pose together next to the sandpit they constructed with the sand from a nearby lake.

With the help of his teammates, Inam traveled to a nearby lake and extracted sand to bring back to his akhara. Once collected he constructed a small circular practice pit.

The idea of making a sand pit for wrestling struck when he returned from Phuket and failed to find a similar training area close-by.

"I brought the sand from ponds and lakes and then made a circular ring at my center," he said. "I practice here daily. It's not costly and the young kids enjoy playing on the sand. It does not hurting them so they like the environment."

"I cannot wrestle everyday so we have small activities like beach volleyball or beach football. But I am on that sand for two hours a day so I get that feeling. My muscles get used to it."

His participation in mud wrestling competitions also grew as he wanted to increase his stamina. In 2016, Inam traveled to Vietnam for the Asian Beach Games. He returned home with a gold medal in the 90kg after beating Mohammad Sadati of Iran in the final. Out of the five bouts in the tournament, he did not concede a single point while scoring 17 of his own.

Muhammad INAM (PAK) edged Pejman Fazlollah TABAR NAGHRACHI (IRI) 2-1, and became Pakistan's first-ever wrestling world champion. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

A year later, Inam became Pakistan's first-ever world champion in any form of wrestling. In Dalyan, Turkey, Inam captured the gold medal after beating Pejman Fazlollah TABAR NAGHRACHI (IRI) 2-1 in the final.

He returned to Turkey in 2018 to successfully defended his 90kg title by beating Irakli MTSITURI (GEO). In the two World Championships combined, Inam conceded only three points. His run in 2018 included four victories by fall including the final.

Hailed as the finest wrestler in Pakistan, Inam has kept his struggle going looking forward the newly minted 2019 Beach Wrestling World Series – a prize money event that touched on four location around the world. And after that a chance at the World Beach Games in Doha.

After making the pit at his wrestling centre, he practiced in that for two hours a day to adapt to the beach sand. This was not entirely new for him as he had been wrestling on mud since he was 10-years-old.

"Pakistan and India have mud wrestling and that is the base of this beach wrestling as well," he said. "My great grandfather wrestled, do did my grandfather and then my father. All of them were wrestlers in dangals so that is what helped me be good at beach wrestling."

Both the South Asian countries have traditional wrestling competitions on mud with a circular boundary, like in beach wrestling. In mud wrestling or dangals the winner is declared when one of the wrestler touches both shoulders of his opponents on the ground, a rule similar to beach.

With the easy rules and experience of competing in mud wrestling tournaments since he was a teenager, Inam knew that he has a bright chance of excelling in beach wrestling.

"I was always a mud wrestler. Pakistan had only five mats in the whole country," he said. "I would go around wrestling dangals and in 2014 I won the bronze medal at Asian Beach Games and I told myself that this is what I can be best at.

"It was a weird feeling as I was very comfortable on the sand. I had no problem find a grip in the sand because I had always practiced in mud."

Inam, a senior superintendent at the Gujranwala Electric Power Company, explains that his success on beach revolves around the fact that he decided to do what international wrestlers do on mat.

Muhammad INAM (PAK) and members of his team stand next to their makeshift sandpit.

"It's like the side are flipped. Earlier, I used to practice for mat competitions for one month prior to competition," he said. "The Georgia, Iran and Russia wrestlers would be practicing on mat throughout the year. But now, I am practicing beach wrestling for 12 months while the mat wrestlers are practicing only a one month before the competition."

With that confidence, he wanted to win the gold medal at the World Ranking Series Final in Zagreb, Croatia this year but an unexpected problem denied him the opportunity.

"I could not get a visa to Croatia because Pakistan does not have that an embassy there," he said. "I have been dealing with such troubles for a long time."

Despite being held out of the last event for the Beach Wrestling World Series, Inam still had his sties placed on winning gold at the World Beach Games as he was the only Pakistani athlete to qualify for the Games and therefore felt more pressure to win.

Inam was drawn in a tough Group B that also had 2012 London Olympics bronze medalist Dato Marsagishvili (GEO), among wrestlers from Azerbaijan, Turkey and Portugal. He began the day with a quick win over Kanan ALIYEV (AZE).

Next up was Murat Ozkan of Turkey. Inam was tested more than his first bout the results was not different. A 1-0 win was enough to keep him on track to reach the knockout stages. But before that, Inam had a tough one to crack in the group itself.

Dato Marsagishvili (GEO), the winner of 2019 Beach Wrestling World Series Final and the only wrestler to beat Inam on beach in last two years, was up next.

Perhaps Inam was waiting for it. The bout saw a lot of action however no wrestler was able to break the deadlock for the first two minutes. It was only in the final minute that Marsagishvili was awarded a point as Inam was warned for an eye poke. Inam did not agree with the decision but had no option but to continue. In the dying seconds of the bout, Inam scored a go-behind to win the 1-1 and avenge his earlier loss.

Inam comfortably topped the group after beating Adao ANDRADE (POR) 3-0 and reached the semi-finals. Marsagishvili also made it to the last-four as a result of his second-place in the group.

As fate would have it, both wrestler won the semi-finals. Inam defeated Pedro GARCIA (ESP) 3-0 while Marsagishvili got the better of Mihai PALAGHIA (ROU) 4-0. The two were now set for a third bout inside five months. Marsagishvili had taken the first win 2-0 at the Beach Wrestling World Series stop in Rio de Janeiro in May. Inam won the bout in the group stages in Doha. The stage was set for the third bout of the rivalry in Doha with the gold medal at the inaguaral World Beach Games on line.

Muhammad INAM (PAK) downed London Olympic bronze medalist Dato Marsagishvili (GEO), 5-3, in the World Beach Games finals. (Photo: Theo Lowenstein)

Marsagashvili build a two-point lead with two single-point takedowns. Inam roared back with two of his own to lead 2-2 on criteria and knew he has to play the clock for the last 40 seconds to win the gold medal.

Marsagashvili wanted to avenge his loss to Inam earlier in the day. In a desperate move in the closing seconds of the bout, he tried to trip Inam for the win but it was the latter who managed to balance himself and exposed Marsagishvili's back. Inam was awarded three points and the top medal.

"I have wrestled him before and I knew what I lacked in that bout in Rio," Inam said. "I loved winning in Doha because everyone was shouting in the arena and I was wrestling for Pakistan. The bout was so tough and to win it after a comeback gave me more joy. I cannot explain the atmosphere that day."

Back home, he was given a hero's welcome. Everyone wanted a piece of Inam and he had interviews lined-up with channels for several days.

After a successful campaign in Doha, Inam is hoping that beach wrestling can be included in the Olympic program for 2024 Games in Paris. Though he will be 35-years-old by then, he wants to win a wrestling medal for Pakistan which last won an Olympic medal in the sport back in 1960 Games in Rome.

Muhammad INAM (PAK) celebrates after winning the World Beach Games gold medal. (Photo: Theo Lowenstein)

"Beach wrestling will keep growing as it's so easy for both wrestlers and crowd," he said. "It is viewer friendly and only three minutes long. The rules are you need to touch a wrestler's back on the ground to win. This rule in common in all dangals across Pakistan and India and most wrestling styles around the world. If not that then push out your opponent to win."

"Freestyle and Greco-Roman is different because there are typical rules. The aggressive wrestler is also going down on his back and people get confuse as to why he is being awarded points when he is down on his back."

Olympic glory would definitely bring more money and fame for Inam but he thinks it will help wrestling, which is currently 'neglected' in the country. Though the boys still practice at the few centers that are left in the countries, Inam thinks it unfortunate that Pakistan could not build a women's wrestling team.

Freestyle wrestling is yet to pick up in Pakistan while belt wrestling is seen as the more acceptable form of the sport. Inam, however, thinks that beach wrestling can pick up in Pakistan and women will also be able to take up the sport.

"Pakistan has women's teams of karate, judo, taekwondo and even cricket. So why not wrestling?" he asks. "Beach wrestling is amazing to remove these culture problems and oppression which are same for everyone.

"If they are allowed in other sports, then allow them in wrestling as well. For gender equality, it is the best way to start. I think girls should be free to think if they want to go into sports. World has changed and with that we have to change and allow girls in wrestling."

#WrestleBelgrade

Olympic champ Orta wins first world title in move up to 67kg

Sunday, September 24, 2023 - 18:59 By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 24) -- Two years after winning the gold at the Tokyo Olympics in Greco-Roman at 60kg, Luis ORTA (CUB) made a successful jump up to the next Olympic weight and captured his first world title.

Orta rallied in the second period to defeat Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) 4-3 in the 67kg final and secure a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics for his country on Sunday, the final day of the World Championships in Belgrade.

"The result of this gold medal is due to hard training and good work of my coaches, and the good preparation we did before coming here, and in the end, we got it," Orta said.

Ali CENGIZ (TUR) survived being on his back for nearly a minute to claim the gold at 87kg, while Leri ABULADZE (GEO) finally struck gold after finishing second the past two years in the non-Olympic weight of 63kg.

Azerbaijan, with three champions and two silver medalists, won the team title for the first time in its history with 120 points, followed by Iran with 102 and Turkiye with 93.

The tournament was also serving as the initial qualifier for the Paris Games, with five berths up for grabs in each of the six Olympic divisions. Iran came away with four in Greco, while Cuba and Armenia secured three each and Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Azerbaijan and Turkey two apiece. Asian countries swept all five spots at 60kg.

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Orta transitioned to 67kg by competing at 63kg in 2022, but could only manage a seventh-place finish at last year's World Championships in the same Stark Arena in Belgrade.

"After the Olympic gold in Tokyo, I couldn't step on the podium again so I am so happy that it happened today," Orta said.

He showed he could handle the extra weight at 67kg this year, beating defending champion Mate NEMES (SRB) in a tight semifinal and winning all three of his other matches en route to the final by technical fall.

Orta denied Jafrarov, the losing semifinalist to Nemes last year, of the world title by overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the second period with two stepouts, the second one coming after he opted to stay on his feet after being awarded a second passivity point.

Orta's bypassing ground wrestling was understandable. In the first period, he was put on top in par terre, only to see Jafrarov stop him during a gut wrench for 2, then add a stepout on an attempted throw.

Luis ORTA (CUB) celebrated his gold medal with a somersault. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

"I already beat Jafrarov once, but all finals are different," said Orta, who defeated the Azeri 5-1 in an early round at the Zagreb Open in February. "They can't be compared. We had a tough match. I think he was a very good opponent, and our fight was worthy of a final match for gold."

This year, Orta prepped for Belgrade and the new weight class by entering two of the Ranking Series events, finishing third in both Zagreb and Bishkek.

"After the gold in the Olympics in 2021, we decided to change the weight category. I went from 60 to 63 last year and we did good work. We did this as a step to fighting in the 67 category where there are very tough opponents. Since the weight change, I had to work harder."

Orta said he did not make any changes to his regimen after his Olympic triumph.

"I was training as before and I did not consider winning the gold in the Olympics as something that would change my life," he said. "I don't think about it and I'm focused on what I have to do next to get the same result in Paris next year."

Ali CENGIZ (TUR) celebrates after winning the 87kg final. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In a clash between the bronze medalists from a year ago in the 87kg final, all looked lost for Cengiz until he fought off his back and held on for an 8-7 victory over David LOSONCZI (HUN).

In the first period, after Losonczi failed to score off par terre, he was pressing Cengiz at the edge when the Turk hit a front headlock throw for 4. Losonczi had inadvertently grabbed Cengiz's singlet, resulting in another 2 being tacked on for a 6-1 lead.

Cengiz's worst nightmare nearly came true in the second period. Attempting a reverse lift from par terre, Losonczi stepped over and landed chest-to-chest, getting 2 as Cengiz fought to avoid the fall, which the mat referee signaled but got no confirmation.

Ali CENGIZ (TUR), red, defends an attempted pin from David LOSONCZI (HUN). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Losonczi's repositioning to a reverse front headlock gave him 2 more and put Cengiz in danger again. But Cengiz somehow managed to extricate himself from the predicament, although his woes were still far from over.

He was assessed a 2-point caution for a foul, making it 7-7, although he held the criteria advantage due to the 4-pointer. That gave Losonczi one last chance in par terre, but he failed to budge Cengiz, and a late challenge that had no chance of succeeding over a suspected stepout added the final point.

For Losonczi, it will forever be a matter of what might have been. "I knew he would get tired, and he got tired and made a mistake," Losonczi said. "I had the opportunity to finish the match, but I didn't finish it, and that was it."

Still, achieving the objective of earning the Paris spot relieves some of the sting of defeat.

"My dream was to make it to the Paris Olympics," he said. "Being the world's best wrestler was not completed today, but I'm happy. I think I gave my all in this match. There is nothing left in me."

Leri ABULADZE (GEO) won the gold medal at 63kg after two silver-medal finishes. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 63kg, Abuladze finally made it to the top of the podium, beating Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) 2-2 on last-point criteria to add the world crown to the European title he won earlier this year.

Mammadov received the first passivity point, but Abuladze scored a reversal from par terre, only to see Mammadov gain a stepout to go up 2-1 in the first period.

Abuladze was the recipient of the second passivity point, which put him ahead on criteria. He nearly clinched the deal with a gut wrench that put Mammadov's back at about an 85-degree angle, just shy of the 90 degrees needed. Put on the bottom later, Abuladze held out for the win.

Geraei, Belenuik bag bronzes, Paris places

Two other Olympic champions in action, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), both made it through the repechage earlier and came away with bronze medals to open the door for them to defend their Olympic crowns in Paris.

At 67kg, Geraei, taking full advantage of the challenge process as he did throughout the tournament, defeated Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) by a rare disqualification for two leg violations.

After gaining a passivity point and going on top on par terre, Geraei received a 2-point leg penalty on a challenge. That kept him on top, and he then lifted up Galstyan and unleased a 2-point throw. Again Galstyan was flagged for a leg foul, which ended the match at 2:09.

Geraei, the world champion in 2021 and silver medalist last year, posted a wild 11-10 victory over Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) in the second round. After losing to Jafarov in the quarterfinals, he made it through the repechage earlier Sunday by rallying from four points down to defeat Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) 6-5.

Beleniuk, a two-time former world champion who was competing for just the second time since his triumph in Tokyo, reeled off three rolls in par terre in the first period against Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) and cruised to a 7-2 victory at 87kg.

"It was a very difficult competition," Beleniuk said. "Today this was my second fight, but I kept with it and I got the license for the Olympic Games and a bronze medal for my country, which is very important because now is a very tough situation in Ukraine."

The victory gave the 32-year-old Beleniuk his fifth world medal. In Paris, he will have a chance at a third Olympic medal, having also won a silver in Rio in 2016.

The other 87kg bronze went to European bronze medalist Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), who used some nifty dexterity to turn the tide against Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and come out with a 6-3 victory.

After being rolled in par terre, Novikov responded with a gymnastics-like kip-up over Abbasov to secure a reversal and went right into a 4-point throw to take a 5-3 lead. Novikov received a passivity point in the second period to account for the final score.

The Ukrainian-born Novikov, who transferred to Bulgaria this year because of his inability to displace Beleniuk, lost to Losonczi in the semifinal and Cengiz at the European U23 in 2019.

Regarding his three fellow medalists, he said, "I need three rematches."

Host Serbia came away with two bronze medals on the final night from Nemes at 67kg and Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) at 63kg, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Nemes notched a 3-3 win on last-point criteria that denied Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) a second straight world bronze.

Nemes trailed after Ismailov scored with a 2-point lift from par terre in the first period. In the second, Nemes uncorked a gut wrench from par terre to make it 3-3 before running out the clock.

Tibilov, normally a 60kg wrestler, took home a medal in his first senior world appearance when he defeated Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) 4-0. Tibilov, after receiving a passivity point in the first period, stopped a lateral drop attempt for 2 in the second period, then added the icing on the cake with a stepout.

The Serbian came into the tournament with a third-place finish at the European Championships and the Wladyslaw Pytlasinski Cup in Warsaw, both at 60kg.

At 63kg, Enes BASAR (TUR) scored eight points in the first period, then survived a bizarre second period in which he handed Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) five free points to take the other bronze with a 9-6 victory.

Basar, making his senior world debut a decade removed from winning a world junior (U20) silver medal, was put on the bottom of par terre in the first period, but stopped a gut wrench attempt and had Clement on his back and near to a fall.

Clement was also assessed a 2-point penalty for a leg violation, which put Basar on top, and he took advantage with two gut wrenches for an 8-1 lead.

One point from ending the match, Basar instead was twice hit with a 2-point penalty for grabbing the singlet early in the second period, with an unsuccessful challenge of the second one giving Clement a further point to cut the gap to 8-6.

But a caution on Clement gave Basar a point, and the period ended with no technical points scored and the Turk, the bronze medalist at the Grand Prix of Germany, defeating the champion of that tournament in August.

Armenia, Kazakhstan gain last Olympic spots

Galstyan returned to the mat later for the fifth-place playoff for the Olympic berth but didn't stay long as he needed less than a minute to roll to an 8-0 technical fall over Ismailov to gain the spot for Armenia.

The lanky Galstyan grabbed a quick takedown and, wrapping his long arms around Ismailov's waist, put together a series of three gut wrenches to end the match in 59 seconds.

Kazakhstan's Tursynov also earned a ticket to Paris with an 8-0 victory in the first period, helped by a number of penalty points and capped with a gut wrench in defeating Abbasov.

Tursynov opened with a stepout, then, put on top in par terre, he received in succession a 2-point leg penalty, an unsuccessful challenge point, and a fleeing point. In the third start, he uncorked the gut wrench with the final move of the tournament.

Day 9 Results

63kg (24 entries)
GOLD: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), 2-2

BRONZE: Enes BASAR (TUR) df. Stefan CLEMENT (FRA), 9-6
BRONZE: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM), 4-0

67kg (41 entries)
GOLD: Luis ORTA (CUB) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) 4-3

BRONZE: Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), 3-3
BRONZE: Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) by Disq., 2:09 (8-0)

5th-Place Playoff: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) by TF, 8-0, :59

87kg (42 entries)
GOLD: Ali CENGIZ (TUR) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 8-7

BRONZE: Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ), 7-2
BRONZE: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 6-3

5th-Place Playoff: Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE) by TF, 8-0, 2:14

Pakistan's Inam Reaches for Beach Wrestling Glory

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Olympic champ Orta wins first world title in move up to 67kg