Hamid Soryan in an Interview with Radio Farda: I Have Never Aimed to Break Records

In an exclusive interview with Radio Farda, Hamid Soryan states that Iran's wrestling team needs a calm and tension-free environment to win three gold medals like they did in the London Olympics. He believes that Iranian wrestlers have the potential for this. The record-holder for gold medals in Iranian wrestling also mentions that he has never pursued breaking records. Soryan first competed in the Asian Youth Championships in 2001 and is now in his fourteenth year with the national teams. During this time, he has been a six-time world champion and stood on the top podium in the London Olympics, results that place him among the most honored athletes in the history of Iranian wrestling. He is now preparing for the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas. The main lineup of the national freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling teams has not yet been officially announced, but Soryan stood on the top podium at the World Championships last year and will face a tough challenge to defend his title and secure an Olympic quota if sent. The competition in the first weight category of Greco-Roman wrestling is currently at its toughest historical period as the World Wrestling Federation has merged the 55 and 60 kg categories. Consequently, wrestlers like Ivo Angelov, the 60 kg world champion from Bulgaria, who previously competed one weight class above Soryan, now compete in the same category. This interview took place during the international Pit Lazinski Cup held in Warsaw. Hamid Soryan participated in the Pit Lazinski Cup and shares his thoughts on this. The Polish tournament ended for me without a result; I lost to a Russian representative. Unfortunately, I fell short of a medal. However, participating in tournaments is crucial for gaining more readiness and identifying strengths and weaknesses, both for the athlete and their opponents. I hope good things happen for me in the future, and I can achieve good results from these competitions and the training I undergo. Regardless of the outcome of this preparatory test, another result is on your mind, and thus you are closer to the World Championships. Exactly. The reality is that for every athlete, the biggest dream is to bring honor to their country in global and Olympic arenas. International competitions held in various parts of the world have their own significance; achieving results helps athletes be in an ideal mental state. For me and the other athletes, the goal is to achieve results in the upcoming World Championships and next year's Olympics. I hope! Mr. Babak, the manager of the national teams, said that Soryan possesses all the necessary factors to win these two gold medals (World Championships in Las Vegas and the 2016 Olympics). It is certainly not out of reach for you to traverse a path you have walked seven times. What do you think needs to happen for you to improve the record you hold? Wrestling is a tough sport. It is recordless. Unfortunately, as seen in this tournament in Poland, the possibility of changing match results exists due to referee interference. An athlete's readiness must be such that they can overcome not only their direct competitor but also the environment that exists. If after winning the London Olympics I decided to continue competing, my goal was the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. What leads to an athlete's success in the Olympics is the safe and calm environment that prevails around them. The recent months have been turbulent for me, and unfortunately, I have not had good conditions to focus. Perhaps I have had good physical conditions and regular training, as was the case in this match against the Russian opponent [Ibrahim Labazanov], but the distractions of recent months have prevented me from having the necessary focus. I hope that if I am to go to a competition, it happens in ideal conditions and environment. Do you want to elaborate on the distractions you mentioned? They are not really matters that can be discussed. There are certain events that have always been alongside sports. Unfortunately, I think that in the past year, it has been much more for me, and I have gone through very tense days. I hope that with the help of those who work hard, I can overcome the environment and experience calm days. Ultimately, the benefit of Hamid Soryan's success belongs to the entire Greco-Roman wrestling family. A team that combines youth and experience is heading to Las Vegas, and certainly, the importance of this tournament, which is Olympic qualifying, will be greater than last year's competitions. In this Polish tournament, you saw that everyone was fully prepared on the mat, as even securing an Olympic quota is an honor for them. Our first interview was 11 years ago, and during this time, every time we have talked, it has been after successes. (Laughs) Now that I am on a losing streak. Every time you have lost in preparatory competitions, it has led to winning a world or Olympic gold medal. I must say that such events are inevitable. Defeat and victory happen to everyone during their championship period. Defeats are disappointing, but I hope I can overcome these challenges and return to good days. It was once said that Soryan was trying to break Abdullah Mohammadi's record of six golds. How does it feel now that he is fighting to break his own record? First, I must say that whenever there is talk of winning medals, since this has happened seven times, people speak easily. The reality is that it is very, very hard work. Perhaps it was not as hard for me at one time as it is today, but now it has become very difficult. I have never sought to break another record or my own; I have always felt that as a soldier, I have a duty on my shoulders and have wanted to present myself in the best way possible, and this is the expectation that people have as well. Does this 'soldier' have motivations like the past 11 years? Certainly, conditions have changed. I am on the verge of 30 years old, and it will be much more difficult for me than in the past. My mindset and perspective on sports have also changed from the past. I certainly have the will and motivation necessary to endure these pressures. I have gone through many bitter days, like the Beijing Olympics, where although I did not win a medal, it was very educational for me. I wish you success in your upcoming competitions. I thank you as well.