TEHRAN - Emam-Ali Habibi, Iran’s first Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and a three-time world champion, passed away on Sunday at the age of 94 after a long battle with illness, Iranian media reported.
Born on May 26, 1931, in a village near Babol, Habibi, widely known as the “Tiger of Mazandaran,” began his wrestling journey with the traditional local style “Locho” before entering professional freestyle wrestling in the early 1950s.
Habibi made history at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics by winning gold in the 67 kg category, becoming the first Iranian wrestler to achieve the feat.
He later secured three world championship titles in 1959, 1961, and 1962, along with a gold medal at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo.
Renowned for his speed and mastery of techniques such as “one arm-one leg” and “head-and-arm,” Habibi was considered the fastest wrestler of his era.
His remarkable skills earned him a place in the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012, and since 2010, an international tournament in northern Iranian province of Mazandaran, his hometown, has been held in his honor.
After retiring from competition, Habibi briefly coached new wresters.