Press TV- Iranian wrestler Jaber Sadeqzadeh has put in an outstanding performance at the National Senior Pahlavani Wrestling Championship in the country’s northeastern shrine city of Mashhad to be crowned the champion of the tournament.

The Iranian sportsman overcame compatriot Ahmad Mirzapour in the over 100-kilogram weight category of the competitions at Mashhad’s Shahid Beheshti Sports Hall on Friday, and stood atop the podium.

Sadeqzadeh was also named Iran’s “Champion of the Year” and donned the Pahlavani armband.

Mazandaran outfit scooped the top honor in the team division of the tournament, having racked up 37 points. It was followed by representatives from Khorasan Razavi A side in the second spot with 26 points.

Wrestlers from Khorasan Razavi B squad collected 25 points to claim third place.

The National Senior Pahlavani Wrestling Championship kicked off in Mashhad on December 31, 2016, and finished later in the day.

Pahlavani wrestling goes back to ancient Persia, and was originally used to train warriors.

It combines martial arts and wrestling techniques, calisthenics, strength training and epic music.

The two competitors in a match try to take control over each other by throwing the opposite combatant back on his shoulder.

The wrestler is allowed to grab his opponent’s pants or belt as a grip.  He can also use his or own legs to off-balance a rival, hence causing him to fall to the ground.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recognized Pahlavani wrestling as among the world's longest-running forms of sport.

On November 11, retired Iranian wrestler Alireza Heidari was named the president of the International Pahlavani Wrestling Federation.