#WrestleSkopje

Sargsian Stars as Russia Win Three Gold, GR Team Title at #WrestleSkopje

By Vinay Siwach

If there was a World Wrestling Day highlight reel to be made, Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) slamming Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) for four points on Sunday would undoubtedly be part of it.

If Musa EVLOEV (RUS) is the best 97kg wrestler around the world, Sargsian is not far behind. The below video is a sneak peak of his show.

The Russian let out a loud roar as he prepared to lift the Georgian for the second time in their 97kg final. It could be heard around the Sansadski Jane Arena. The roar was not meant to disrespect his opponent but a metaphor of the strength and power he expresses when executing those soul-crushing throws. He was doing this with ease over the last two days at the U23 European Championships in Skopje, North Macedonia.

A quick glance at his wins on Saturday and Sunday show the gulf in class between him and his opponents. His first bout ended 9-0. The quarterfinal was won 8-0. The all-important semifinal was again a 9-0 win.

Katsanashvili was avoiding it in the 97kg final until he was warned for passivity. The par terre position for Sagsian meant his show was about to begin.

Katsanashvili used his skills to remain grounded, assembling all his core strength to convince the referee that Sargsian won't be able to throw him.

12 seconds is what took the Russian to score the first four – a beautiful throw inside the danger zone. He did not loosen his grip, worked some strength and boom. Another four.

After his celebrations, Sargsian embraced his opponent, like he did throughout the competition.

Shamil OZHAEV U23 European Championships

His gold at 97kg was the final of the three Russia won on Sunday. Shamil OZHAEV (RUS) at 82kg and Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) at 60kg also captured the top medal to propel their country to the team title. Russia had won three gold medals on Saturday as well.

Ozhaev's final against Tamas LEVAI (HUN) went the full six minutes. He got the first point for Levai's inactivity from which Ozhaev scored two points to lead 3-0.

He was also warned for inactivity in the second period but his strong defence meant Levai had to be contend with just the one point. Ozhaev was also happy to stroll to a 3-1 win.

At 60kg, Allakhiarov also had a dominant win against Igor KUROCHKIN (UKR). The opening score was the passivity warning to Kurochkin and Allakhiarov almost got the exposure but a successful challenge from Ukraine reversed his lead to 1-0. He then went for a arm throw and managed to land the Ukrainian in danger to secure four points. He led 5-0 at the break.

Around 25 seconds in the seconds period, Allakhiarov went for a duck under and performed a bodylock throw against Kurochkin who seemed to be on his heels. The four points secured his 9-0 win.

He was the second Ukrainian to finish with a silver medal. Andrii KULIK (UKR) had a fantastic tournament before he ran into Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) in the 72kg final.

Amoyan is quickly becoming Armenia's top wrestler having risen through the age-group level with junior World and European titles. A silver at the Individual World Cup and senior Euros confirmed his ascend. So at his first U23 event, Amoyan made sure he goes home with gold medal.

Awarded the par terre position after Kulik was passive, Amoyan scored via a gut wrench and led 3-0 at the break. While Greco-Roman generally sees alternative inactivity being called, Amoyan made sure he continues to be the attacking wrestler. As a result, Kulik was again warned for inactivity.

A out-of-bounds throw was enough to give him a 6-0 lead which he maintained as he captured the second gold medal for Armenia in Skopje.

Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) U23 European Championships

The fifth weight category was 67kg in which Hungary captured the gold medal, thanks to Krisztian VANCZA (HUN). In the final against Kadir KAMAL (TUR), he pulled off a close 2-2 win.

All four points scored in the bout were inactivity and stepout points with Vancza scoring in the second period which gave him the win.

GR Medal Results

60kg
GOLD: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) df Igor KUROCHKIN (UKR), 9-0

BRONZE: Tigran MINASYAN (ARM) df Andy JUAN SUCH (ESP), 10-0
BRONZE: Uladzislau PRYBYLSKI (BLR) df Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN), 3-3

67kg
GOLD: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df Kadir KAMAL (TUR), 2-2

BRONZE: Oleksii MASYK (UKR) df Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL), 8-0
BRONZE: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)

Team Russia

72kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df Andrii KULIK (UKR), 6-0

BRONZE: Idris IBAEV (GER) df Martun BADALIAN (BLR), 4-0
BRONZE: Sergei KUTUZOV (RUS) df Otar ABULADZE (GEO), 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Shamil OZHAEV (RUS) df Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df Dimitrios TSOMPANOUDIS (GRE), 11-2
BRONZE: Yauheni YUROU (BLR) df Arminas LYGNUGARIS (LTU), 1-1

97kg
GOLD: Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) df Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 9-0

BRONZE: Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE) df Valentyn SHKLIARENKO (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df Ondrej DADAK (CZE), 1-1

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."