According to “Varzesh3”, undoubtedly Payam Ahmadi must be considered the phenomenon without question of Iranian wrestling in the past two years; a young wrestler whose name perhaps few had heard until last year and who was not even supposed to be present at the World Championships, but suddenly became Iran's representative in the lightweight class of Greco-Roman wrestling and surprised everyone with his dazzling brilliance. Ahmadi, at last year's competitions, by defeating a great champion such as Eldaniz Azizli, reached the final of the World Championships, but in the end fell short of obtaining the gold medal and settled for the silver medal.
This year, Payam Ahmadi stepped into the World Championships with more readiness. This young and future-making Iranian wrestler defeated his opponents one after another with power and, for the second consecutive year, reached the final of the World Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships. An event that showed his brilliance last year was not accidental and Ahmadi has come to display his abilities at the first level of world wrestling once again.
Ahmadi's opponent in the final was once again Eldaniz Azizli; a famous and renowned wrestler who this time stepped onto the mat with the motivation of revenge and compensation for last year's defeat against Iran's representative. Ahmadi also hoped to pass this powerful opponent for the second consecutive time and this time, by obtaining the gold medal, celebrate the world championship; but the final did not proceed as he expected.
In the end, Azizli's extraordinary experience came to his aid in a close bout, so that Payam Ahmadi was defeated 3-1 against his renowned rival and once again fell short of reaching the world gold medal. A bitter defeat for the young phenomenon of Iranian wrestling who, after a brilliant path and reaching the final, was only one step away from standing on the first podium, but this time too settled for the silver medal.
However, the bitterest images related to Payam Ahmadi took place not on the mat, but after the end of the match. In conditions where this wrestler was sitting for moments on the step beside the mat, the intensity of discomfort did not allow him to rise from his place. Ahmadi, who had the dream of obtaining the gold medal in his head, after the defeat in the final could not hold back his tears and, with a grief-stricken face, displayed his deep sorrow.
The story did not end there; when Hassan Rangraz, the head coach of Iran's national Greco-Roman wrestling team, finally raised him from beside the mat to go toward the warm-up room, an impressive video was published by the United World Wrestling. In these images, Payam Ahmadi, while crying severely and with sobbing having cut off his breath, moves beside Rangraz toward the warm-up room. The head coach of the national team, who has a close relationship with the wrestlers, speaks with him along the path and tries to calm him, but Ahmadi still cannot hold back his tears.
The publication of this video was accompanied by many reactions, and the users of the United World Wrestling page also expressed sympathy with Payam Ahmadi. However, Ahmadi's professional path is only at the start of the road, and considering his talent, ability, and two consecutive presences in the finals of the world competitions, one can hope that in a not-too-distant future he will also add world gold to his honors.
Source: Varzesh3
