Iran won 13 medals at the 2024 World Nomad Games in Astana, Kazakhstan, including one gold, three silver and nine bronze. The official 2024 medal table placed Iran sixth overall.
While Iran’s overall medal tally increased by two this year, the biggest improvement came in gold medals. The country quadrupled its gold-medal haul from one in 2024 to four in 2026.
Reza Gheitasi won gold in mas-wrestling, Sajjad Soltaninejad triumphed in the strongman competition, Mostafa Najafi claimed the top spot in Alysh wrestling, and Mostafa Toghani captured gold in Pahlavani wrestling.
Iran also collected silver medals in kurash, right-arm wrestling and team tug-of-war. Its eight bronze medals came across a range of traditional wrestling and combat disciplines.
The sixth World Nomad Games brought together athletes from more than 100 countries to compete in traditional sports rooted in the heritage of nomadic communities. Reuters reported that athletes from 104 countries took part in the 2026 edition, underscoring the growing international reach of the event.
The Games, first held in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, have evolved into a major international showcase for traditional sports and nomadic cultural heritage. The 2026 competition featured events ranging from wrestling and kurash to strength contests and traditional games.
For Iran, however, the headline figure was clear: 15 medals, including four golds — a stronger campaign than in 2024 and a fourfold increase in its gold-medal tally.
Hossein Amiri - ahmad shirzadian
