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United World Wrestling unites Indian Ocean with first regional development tournament

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 - 17:32 By United World Wrestling Press

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PORT LUIS, Mauritius (May 2) --- The UWW Development Department conducted the first-ever Regional Educational Development Tournament (REDT) in the Indian Ocean. This event was hosted in collaboration with the Mauritius Wrestling Federation. The REDT is a regional course and tournament centered around training and educating the coaches and referees. At the conclusion of the courses, there was a scheduled tournament to provide opportunities for countries in the region to compete in an international competition.

The Development Week in Mauritius was conducted from April 16-25. This event included participants from Mauritius (Mauritius and Rodrigues), Madagascar and Comoros. 

From April 17-21, a Level 1 and 2 Coaching Course was conducted by Vincent Aka and Frederic Rubio.  This course worked with 19 coaches and focused on how to coach for Level 1 and on the development of practice plans according to level 2.  The coaching course ended with the topic “Wrestling and motors preference” introduced by Frederic Rubio.  This was the place to explain and demonstrate a series of tests to be done by the young wrestlers and coaches.

From April 21-23, Charles Villet piloted a non-certification referee course focused on the introduction to refereeing. The course start with both the referees and coaches working directly together. During this course, 19 coaches and referees took part in the coaching. The goal was to improve their skills and knowledge as a referee and to better understand each other and work together. Both groups built strong values together during the course and finally adopt the slogan "Indian Ocean unit."

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Paricipants from Mauritius and Rodrigues, Madagascar and Comoros gather during the Development Week in Mauritius from April 16-25.

This program has contributed to upgrading the coach's and referee’s skills and methods of teaching to ensure that competitors are at the standard requirement and well prepared to compete on the international level to bring better results and to be familiar with the rules and regulations of UWW to avoid losing marks unnecessarily. This program has also been an advantage to create new coaches and referees to support the Federation to set up additional wrestling schools, particularly in remote areas where wrestling is not accessible to increase the number of wrestlers in our countries.

Concerning Mauritius, "This program was great support for the preparation of our athletes for Birmingham 2022 and the Indian Ocean Island Games in 2023 at Madagascar” said Mr. Richard PAPI, President of Mauritius Wrestling federation. The events were covered by the local newspapers, radios, national TV and social media. This has touched the public at large. It has had a positive effect on our discipline to obtain visibility since the end of the program people have started to contact the federation gathering information about wrestling and some are interested in joining the training team, awesome."

"This program has really proven to be very efficient as one of the first of its kind. It's a grassroots program that will contribute to providing opportunities to further develop wrestling based on the needs and realities of all our National Federations," said Mrs. Deqa Niamkey, United world wrestling Development Director. "It also allows the participants to play different roles and understand the aspects of delivering a wrestling competition and covering all the aspects required to make a successful sporting event."

To conclude, the Regional Educational Development Tournament ended with a regional competition with sportsmanship and goodwill. The emotional part of the event is that the participants have created a slogan that is " Unité Océan Indien" which was adopted unanimously.

Overall, this was a great step in hosting and developing the Regional Educational Development Tournaments in the Indian Ocean.  For more information on REDT events in the future, visit the UWW website.

Saravi, Hedayati win gold to cap Iran's dominance at ISG 2025

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 17:36 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) -- If there was battle for the most dominant wrestler among the Iranian wrestlers, it would be a close one. Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) won Asian and World Championships and a Ranking Series gold before winning the gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 on Tuesday.

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won gold at Zagreb Ranking Series, gold at senior and U23 World Championships and like Esmaeili, gold at ISG 2025.

On Wednesday, Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) also joined that list as he won gold medal at 97kg at ISG in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Saravi has been unstoppable this year, just like Esmaeili and Farokhi, winning Ranking Series gold, and gold medals at the Asian and World Championships. In Riyadh, he showed why he has been so good this year.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) turns Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) from par terre in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In one of the marquee matches of the night, Saravi held his own to beat world bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) in the 97kg final.Saravi and Ahmadiyev were clearly a notch up the field in Riyadh in their weight class and reached the final with ease. But when the two clashed, Saravi clearly had a gameplan to not get caught in any upset.

Ahmadiyev had pinned Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) at the World Championships after a block when the Armenian was trying a gut wrench. So when Saravi got the chance in par terre in the final, he only tried a gut wrench once and then let the referee call neutral.

Saravi went into the break leading 3-0. He was called passive in the second period and put in par terre but he defend the position and gave only one point. As Ahmadiyev struggled with his conditioning, Saravi managed to score two stepouts and win the gold medal with a 5-1 score.

The Iranian has now not lost since the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, extending his winning run to over two years.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) prepares to throw Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) during the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 130kg, rising star Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) too has a great winning run. Since his U20 World Championships final loss in 2022, Hedayati has not lost an international bout and capped his 2025 season with gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025.

Placed in Group A of the Nelson bracket, Hedayati topped his group before winning the semifinal with ease. In the final, he faced Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who the Iranian defeated in the first group bout 3-0.

If that was a warm-up win, Hedayati showed what he is capable of, winning the final in just 35 second via fall against Abdellatif. He began with a four-point throw which was challenged by Egypt only to lose the challenge.

Leading 5-0, Hedayati hit an arm-throw for two points before dragging Abdellatif for another takedown with his back on the mat. Hedayati held the Egyptian in that position and secured the fall to end the match and capture the gold medal.

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) celebrates after winning the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Three women's wrestling weight classes were also in action on Wednesday in Riyadh and three different countries won gold medals.

At 50kg, Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) needed a hip-toss in the last 30 seconds to score four points against Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) and take a 5-1 lead. The Uzbekistan wrestler led 1-0 at the break after Geneisi's passivity. But the Nigerian took an 1-1 criteria lead in the last minute when Keunimjaeva was called passive.

Desperate to find an opening, Keunimjaeva locked both of Geneisis' arms and tossed her for four points, taking a 5-1 lead and defending it to win the gold medal.

Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) won the gold medal at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The winning country was reversed in the 53kg final as Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) defeated Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1, to win the gold medal.

Akhmedova failed to match the power of Ogunsanya who kept scoring with counter takedowns. She scored a takedown and a turn using lace to win the bout 11-1.

The final gold medal of the night went to former U23 world champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) who defeated European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) in the 57kg final.

Aliyeva, who had defeated Suleyman in Round 1 bout as well, faced the Turkish wrestler again and kept it simple. She scored three takedown before giving up one in the final few seconds. She managed to hold on to her 6-2 lead for the win.

Photo

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) df. Mohamed GABR (EGY), 3-1
BRONZE: Rouabah FADI (ALG) df. Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) df. Roman KIM (KGZ), 11-2

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR), 5-1

BRONZE: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Chebila CHEIMA (ALG), 7-0

53kg
GOLD: Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1

BRONZE: Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ) df. Yusma DESWITA (INA), via fall (3-0
BRONZE: Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) df. Vatansulton SHAKARSHOEVA (TJK), 14-3

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), 6-2

BRONZE: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) df. Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), via fall (14-3)