TEHRAN – Mahmoud Mollaghasemi Tabrizi, the first Iranian wrestler to win an Olympic medal, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 97.

Mollaghasemi etched his name in Iranian sports history by claiming the silver medal at the 1951 World Wrestling Championships in Helsinki. A year later, he secured the bronze medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, becoming Iran's first Olympic wrestling medalist.

Born as the eldest child in a large family, Mollaghasemi faced hardship from an early age. Following the death of his father, a shoemaker, he was forced to work to help support his family. Despite these challenges, he discovered his passion for wrestling at the age of 18 and went on to become one of the pioneers of the sport in Iran.

After retiring from competition, Mollaghasemi remained devoted to wrestling, serving as both a coach and an international referee. In that role, he represented Iran at the 1964 Olympic Games, continuing to contribute to the development of the sport beyond his competitive career.

The Tehran Times extends its deepest condolences to the family of Mahmoud Mollaghasemi, as well as to Iran's wrestling community, on his passing. May he rest in peace