Iran announces tentative lineups for the second annual Titan Games

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
04/16/2004


Iran has announced its potential lineups in both men's freestyle and Greco-Roman for the second annual Titan Games, The Road To Athens powered by Home Depot, in Atlanta, Ga., June 18-20.    The men's freestyle roster from Iran includes one Olympian and five World medalists. In Greco-Roman, the roster includes two Olympians and one World medalist.    Leading the freestyle team for Iran will be 2000 Olympic champion Alireza Dabir at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Dabir is also a four-time World medalist. Also listed on the roster at this weight class is A. Asghar Bazri Qaleh.    Another gold medalist, 2002 World champion Mehdi Hajizadeh, is expected to compete at 74 kg/163 lbs. Also listed at this weight is Hadi Habibi, who placed fourth in the 2003 World Championships.    Alireza Heidari, a 1998 World champion and five-time World medalist, will compete at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Mohammad Hossein Khaleghi Far, a 2001 Junior World champion, is also on the roster at this weight.    At 55 kg/121 lbs., Hassan Asslani, fourth in the 2003 World Championships and 2003 Asian Championships gold medallists, is one of three wrestlers on the roster. Also looking to step on the mat will be 1996 World Cup silver medalist Babak Nourzad and 2002 Asian Games bronze medalist Mohammad Rezaee.    2003 Asian Cup gold medalist Mourad Mohamadi and 2001 World Cup silver medalist Masoud Mostafajoukar are on the roster at 60 kg/132 lbs.    2002 World bronze medalist Majid Khodaee is expected to compete at 84 kg/185 lbs. Also listed on the roster at this weight is Feridun Qanbari, who placed third in a 2004 Olympic Qualification Tournament, securing this weight class for Iran in the 2004 Olympic Games.    At 120 kg/264.5 lbs., 2003 World bronze medalist Alireza Rezaee is expected to be in the lineup. Also listed on the roster is 2003 Asian Cup silver medalist Favdin Masoumi.    The freestyle team for Iran will be coached by two-time Olympian Mansour Barzegar, who also won three World medals. Barzegar won a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games and was a 1973 World champion.    In Greco-Roman, 2001 World champion and two-time World medalist Hassan Rangraz will compete for Iran at 55 kg/121 lbs.    At 60 kg/132 lbs., both 2000 Olympian Ali Ashkani Aghbolagh or 2003 Junior World champion Hamid Bavafa could see time on the mat.    2000 Olympian Parvis Zaidvand will wrestle at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Zaidvand recently won a silver medal at the 2003 Asian Championships.    Mohssen Poudanaki, fourth in the 2003 Asian Championships, and Majid Ramazani, who competed in the 2001 World Championships, are both listed at 74 kg/163 lbs.    At 84 kg/185 lbs., Behrouz Jamshidi, a 1997 World Cup silver medalist, is expected to compete. Also listed on the roster is Rouhollah Mikaili.    2003 Asian Cup gold medalist and 2003 Asian Championships silver medalist Masoud Hashemzadeh will wrestle at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.    Rounding out the Iran Greco-Roman roster at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. are 2004 Olympic Qualification Tournament champion Sajad Barzi and 2003 Asian Cup silver medalist Alireza Qaribi. Barzi's win at one of the Olympic Qualification Tournaments ensured Iran a spot in the 2004 Olympic Games at this weight class.    The Greco-Roman squad for Iran will be coached by 1992 Olympian Hassan Babak.    Wrestling will again be one of the featured sports at the Titan Games, along with boxing, fencing, weightlifting, judo, taekwondo and shot put. Philips Arena is serving as the competition venue and Centennial Olympic Park is serving as the backdrop for the shot put.    Wrestling will be contested on Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20.    The Titan Games will feature a "USA versus the World" format in dual and triangular meets. In men's freestyle and men's Greco-Roman, the teams competing against the United States will be Georgia and Iran. In women's freestyle, the opponents will be Canada and China.    In men's freestyle, this field will feature the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams from the 2003 World Championships. Georgia won the World team title, followed by runner-up United States and third-place Iran. It was one of the closest team races in history.    In men's Greco-Roman, Georgia was the 2003 World Champion. Iran is a developing power in Greco-Roman wrestling and has qualified six Greco-Roman weight classes for the Olympic Games.    In women's freestyle, the USA was second in the 2003 World Championships. China was fourth and Canada sixth at the 2003 World meet. All three teams have qualified all four women's weight classes for the Olympic Games. Canadian women participated in the 2003 Titan Games.    Wrestling fans may purchase their tickets through USA Wrestling by calling (719) 598-8181.    There are two packages available for purchase for wrestling fans. Package A features a $120 all-session floor pass, with only 100 available. This includes VIP Hospitality, matside seating and a chance to meet and great wrestling legends.    Package B features a $60 All-Session Lower Level Seating ticket, which will be placed in the arena where the wrestling mat is located. Only 707 of these prime seats exist.    These exclusive packages are available only through USA Wrestling thru June 1.  Individual session tickets are available through Ticketmaster.    Final rosters of all competing nations will be posted on TheMat.com as they become available.      Titan Games, The Road to Athens powered by Home Depot  June 18-20, 2004 at Atlanta, Ga.  Iran Tentative Team Rosters  Men's Freestyle  55 kg/121 lbs. - Mohammad Asslani, Babak Nourzad or Mohammad Rezaee  60 kg/132 lbs. - Mourad Mohamadi, Masoud Mostafajoukar  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Alireza Dabir, A. Asghar Bazri Qaleh  74 kg/163 lbs. - Hadi Habibi, Mehdi Hajizadeh  84 kg/185 lbs. - Majid Khodaee, Feridu Qanbari  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Alireza Heidari, Mohammad Hossein Khaleghi Far  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Favdin Masoumi, Alireza Rezaee  Coach: Mansour Barzegar    Greco-Roman  55 kg/121 lbs. - Hassan Rangraz  60 kg/132 lbs. - Ali Ashkani Aghbolagh, Hamid Bavafa  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Parviz Zaidvand  74 kg/163 lbs. - Mohssen Poudanaki, Majid Ramazani  84 kg/185 lbs. - Behrouz Jamshidi, Rouhollah Mikaili  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Masoud Hashemzadeh  120 kg/211.5 lbs. - Sajad Barzi, Alireza Qaribi  Coach: Hassan Babak