Iranian Sambo practitioners continue theirfine performances at the 2016 Asian Sambo Championship in Turkmenistan and pocketed three more medals, including one gold.
On Sunday, Behnam Hodhodi Abkenar outmuscled Uzbek contestant Olim Khudaykulov 4-0 and fetched the senior gold medal for the Islamic Republic of Iran in the over 100-kilogram weight class attheAshgabat OlympicComplex.
Earlier in the day, Zaman Taghizadeh prevailed over Shakhriyor Gafforov from Uzbekistan 3-1 in his repechage, and snatched a bronze medal.
Masoud Ghodrati also claimed a bronze for Iran in the combat senior mens minus 68-kilogram weight class.
Previously, Hossein Tolou Sabouti suffered a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Uzbek opponent Ozodbek Bakoev in the final bout of the men'syouth over 87-kilogram weightcategory at theAshgabat OlympicComplexand was awarded a silver medal.
Additionally, Iman Pajouhideh and Ayoub Fahimi earned two bronze medals in the combat senior mens minus 62-kilogram and combat senior mens minus 82-kilogram divisions on Sunday.
Hamed Abbasi and Iraj Amirkhani also pocketed two bronze medals for Iran in combat senior mens over 100-kilogram and sport senior mens minus 100-kilogram weight classes.
On Saturday, Iranian Sambo athletes Aref Kazemi Toushen scooped a bronze medal in mens youth minus 65-kilogram section. Abbas Alizadeh had clinched a bronze in the menscombat seniorminus 100-kilogram the previous day.
The 2016 Asian Sambo Championship kicked off in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on May 26 and concluded on May 30.
A total of 400 male and female Sambo practitioners from seventeen Asian countries, including Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, took part in the event.
Turkmenistan topped the medal count table with a total of 66 (21 golds, 26 silvers and 19 bronzes), and Uzbekistan stood second with 55 (20 golds, eighteen silvers and seventeen bronzes).
Kazakhstan occupied the third spot with 20 gold, ten silver and 13 bronze medals.
The Islamic Republic of Iran finished in the fifth place, having earned one gold, one silver and eight bronze medals.
Sambois a Russianmartial artandcombat sport. There are three main formats recognized by the Federation International Amateur Sambo (FIAS), namely Sport Sambo, Combat Samboand Freestyle Sambo.
Sport Sambois stylistically similar toOlympic Freestyle WrestlingorJudo, but with some differences in rules, protocol, anduniform.
Combat Sambo resembles modernmixed martial arts, including extensive forms of strikingandgrappling. It was developed for military purposes.
Freestyle Sambo, which was created and debuted by the American Sambo Association (ASA) in 2004, focuses on throwing skills and fast ground work, and does not allow any strikes.
Unlike traditional Sambo, Freestyle Sambo allows choke holds and other submissions. Neck cranks and twisting foot locks are also permitted.
By Press TV
