Iran Wushu Sanda team claim world title
TEHRAN – Iran’s eight-member Sanda team claimed eight gold medals and won the title of the 15th World Wushu Championships (WWC) in Shanghai, China.
In the men’s 65kg, Erfan Ahangarian defeated Russian Magomed Abdulkhalikov in the final bout. Bronze medals went to Clemente Tabugara from the Philippines and Uzbekistan’s Akmal Rakhimov.
Yousef Sabri defeated Moroccan Saad Boujekka in the men’s 75kg final. Macau’s Cai Fei Long and Mohamed Dhia Laouini from Tunisia were the bronze medalists.
Milad Arefi seized a gold at the 85kg category after defeating Vietnamese player Phạm Công Minh. Lebanese Georges Saade and Yahya Al-Farooq from Jordan claimed the bronze medals.
Iran had won three gold medals in the women’s divisions.
Elaheh Mansourian in the 65kg, Shahrbanoo Mansourian in the 70kg and Maryam Hashemi in the 75kg had claimed three gold medals.
Mohsen Mohammadseifi took a gold medal in the 70kg after defeating his Lebanese opponent Alexandre El-Rassi. Lê Tuấn Anh from Vietnam and Chinese Li Zhaoyang won bronze medals.
Ali Khorshidi also won the gold in the 80kg, beating China’s Lujian Cao in the final. Alejandro Cisne from the U.S. and Lebanon’s Georges Eid claimed bronze medals.
In Taolu, the 17-year-old Mohammadali Mojiri claimed a gold in nandao event.
Iranian women Hanieh Rajabi won two silver medals in nandao and nangun and Zahra Kiani took the bronze in changquan.
China won the championships in Taolu and Sanda, winning 10 gold medals and one bronze.
Iran became runners-up with eight gold medals, two silvers and one bronze.
Hong Kong finished third with five gold medals, four silvers and one bronze.
The 15th edition of the World Wushu Championships started on Oct. 17 in Chinese city Shanghai and will run until Oct. 24.
Practitioners from 102 countries and regions have participated in the competitions.