Question for our Iranian friends on the forum...

[quick_single]

What happened? Might be the worst performance by an Iranian team to date.

What's everyone saying?

Also, just curious, I know there must be an Iranian wrestling forum(s), so is the talk about the team's performance as harsh there as it is over here?

[akzent]

Yazdani, Jimbo?

I think one of the reasons might be: focusing the training on expected matches vs. top wrestlers who the Iranians always have lost to: Yazdani-Ketoev, Masoumi-Taimazov...

They didn't face those opponents at Beijing. What hapened - they met wrestlers they always have beaten and this time they lost to them. Yazdani got pinned by Temrezov and Masoumi got beaten (not pinned only because the time helped him: 1st period ended) by Mutalimov. Before the games Yazdani's record vs. Temrezov was like 3:0, and Masoumi's record vs. Mutalimov was like 3:1.

[Yazdani]

There might be a forum out there but I haven't seen one dedicated to wrestling. What I usually see is section of a sports or soccer forum with a wrestling thread and the posters aren't true wrestling fans. From what I have seen everybody is just bad mouthing the team.

I agree with Akzent about concentrating on main opponets but I feel it was just total lack of being prepared. I'm not sure but I don't Barzagar was envolved in the coaching which is a HUGE mistake. I think a lot of the wrestlers were comfortable with their opponets (i.e. Yazdani-Temrezov, Sourian-Mankiev/Park, Masoumi-Mutalimov) that they forgot that past wins mean nothing because everybody gives it there all at the Olympics (i.e. Mindo-Ketoev).

[karamazov]

I thought the Iranian wrestlers looked to be in poor condition. They also looked very tenative almost afraid to fail at the big show. As opposed to say the Azerbajianian wresters who really impressed me with the way they wrestled. They may not have had that many medals but they left it out on the mat.

[Hubbard]

U.S. stunk as well.

[karamazov]

yes but that has been covered a lot of places.

[ISU2008]

Originally Posted by Hubbard U.S. stunk as well.

but Canada was sure dominant.......

[MSandhu]

Hahah thanks ISU2008 lmao

[Hubbard]

Originally Posted by ISU2008 but Canada was sure dominant.......

There's 40 people wrestling in Canada.

You have 10 times more people and it's 10 times more popular. The U.S. performance was only made short of pitiful because of Cejudo. Other than that, it was a disgrace.

[F14-Fan]

1- I think the opponenets (Particularly the Russians), have learnt how to shut the gates against Iranian typical attack (Quick-single leg attack).

Prior to the Olympics, the russian Juniors won every encounter against Iranian Juniors in World Junior Free Style championship in Turkey. The Iranian junior wresler would win and win until meeting the russian guy at semis or at final. Russian juniors won 6 Gold medals to Iran's 1.
The winner of Iran's single gold didnt have any encounter with the russian wresler.

Same story at the senior level in the Olympics.
Russians won every encounter. In fact, I cannot rememebr when an Iranian Free-Styler beat a Russian at the world championships, let alone Olympics.

2- The Iranians are poor in defence. Even in winning, they always concede a few points scored against them. Russian Batirov lost only two points all the way to the Olympic gold.

Head of Iran's wrestling federation has just stated that Iran's wresling is at Asian level rather than world level. He said that there were plans to recruite foreign coaches.
Iranian coaches must acknowledge that they have not been able to cover the weaknesses.