Wrestling in Armenia

Wrestling (Armenian: ըմբշամարտ əmbšamart) has deep historical roots in Armenia.^[1][2] Wrestling existed in the Armenian Highlands since ancient times. Armenians have their own variant of the game called Kokh. It was recorded that King Tiridates III of Armenia won the Ancient Olympic Games in wrestling in 281 AD. During the Soviet era, wrestling became one of the most practiced sports in Armenia and remained popular after Armenia's independence in 1991. Armenian athletes have been successful at international competitions in the last two decades. Many have become World and European champions, both in Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling. Half of the twelve Armenian Olympic medalists and the only gold medal winner were wrestlers.

History

Ancient history

At the 265th Olympiad (281 AD the Armenian King Tiridates III (286–342 AD), who in 301 AD adopted Christianity as the state religion, making Armenia the first Christian nation, became an Olympic Champion in wrestling.^[3][4]

A 1963 Soviet stamp depicting traditional Armenian Kokh

Kokh

Kokh (Armenian: Կոխ) is the Armenian national wrestling,^[5][6] known since the Early Middle Ages.^[7] It's considered to be one of the oldest forms of wrestling.^[5] It had influenced the Soviet martial sport Sambo.^[8]

The winner is the one who throws the opponent on the mat without boosting and/or turning him. Pushing the opponent out of the mat, which has a radius of 7-9 meters,^[9] also results in winning. A Kokh fight usually lasts from 5 to 10 minutes. The Kokh fights are often accompanied with Armenian folk music and before the beginning of a fight wrestlers do folk dances.^[5]

Two varieties of Kokh are Lori Kokh and Shirak Kokh. The main difference between two styles is between the clothing. In Shirak Kokh, wrestlers wear shalwar pants and are topless and were allowed to grab the legs of the opponent. In Lori Kokh, they wear chokha (traditional Caucasian dress) and have to grab the opponent's dress to throw or push them out. Until late 1980s, Kokh was practiced in rural areas of Armenia, although no professional Kokh athletes existed. Today, about 700 children in Armenian practice Kokh.^[7]

Soviet period

Sports in general and wrestling, particularly, became popular in Armenia in 1920s and 1930s, but it wasn't until the end of the World War II, when Armenian and Soviet athletes started to appear on international competitions. Sargis Vardanyan became the Soviet champion of Greco-Roman wrestling twice, in 1940 and 1944. In later years, Armenian Greco-Roman wrestlers had significant role in Soviet wrestling. Notable ones included Artem Teryan (First wrestling Olympic medalist), Suren Nalbandyan (1976 Olympic champion), Sanasar Oganisyan (1980 Olympic champion), Norayr Musheghian (1958 World Champion), Benur Pashayan (1982 and 1983 World Champion), Levon Julfalakyan (1986 World Champion), Mnatsakan Iskandaryan (1990, 1991, 1994 World Champion).^[10]

Independent Armenia

The Federation of Freestyle Wrestling of Armenia and the Federation of Greco-Roman Wrestling Federation were founded in 1992 and were merged in 1996 forming the Wrestling Federation of Armenia. It is the national governing body of the sport in the country.^[11] According to Razmik Stepanyan, secretary of the Armenian Olympic Committee, there were 25 wrestling schools in 10 provinces of Armenia, 304 coaches and 7,454 athletes engaged in wrestling as of 2009.^[12][13]

Records

Wrestler Armen Nazaryan is Armenia's only Olympic champion

Olympics

Exactly half of the 12 Olympic medals of Armenia were from wrestling.

Games	Athlete	Style and weight	Position	Ref
1996 Atlanta	Nazaryan, ArmenArmen Nazaryan	Greco-Roman 52 kg	1 ! Gold	[14]
1996 Atlanta	Mkrtchyan, ArmenArmen Mkrtchyan	Freestyle 48 kg	2 ! Silver	[15]
2008 Beijing	Amoyan, RomanRoman Amoyan	Greco-Roman 55 kg	3 ! Bronze	[16]
2008 Beijing	Patrikeyev, YuryYury Patrikeyev	Greco-Roman 120 kg	3 ! Bronze	[17]
2012 London	Julfalakyan, ArsenArsen Julfalakyan	Greco-Roman 74 kg	2 ! Silver	[18]
2012 London	Aleksanyan, ArturArtur Aleksanyan	Greco-Roman 96 kg	3 ! Bronze	[19]

FILA World Championships

Greco-Roman Year Athlete Style and weight Position Ref 1993 Stockholm Nazaryan, ArmenArmen Nazaryan Greco-Roman 52 kg 2 ! Silver [20] 1993 Stockholm Manukyan, AghasiAghasi Manukyan Greco-Roman 57 kg 1 ! Gold [20] 1995 Prague Nazaryan, ArmenArmen Nazaryan Greco-Roman 52 kg 2 ! Silver [21] 1995 Prague Manukyan, MkhitarMkhitar Manukyan Greco-Roman 62 kg 3 ! Bronze [21] 1997 Wrocław Juharyan, VahanVahan Juharyan Greco-Roman 54 kg 2 ! Silver [22] 2001 Patras Mnatsakanyan, KarenKaren Mnatsakanyan Greco-Roman 58 kg 2 ! Silver [23] 2001 Patras Galstyan, VaghinakVaghinak Galstyan Greco-Roman 63 kg 1 ! Gold [23] 2007 Baku Patrikeyev, YuryYury Patrikeyev Greco-Roman 120 kg 3 ! Bronze [24] 2009 Herning Amoyan, RomanRoman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 2 ! Silver [25] 2010 Moscow Amoyan, RomanRoman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 3 ! Bronze [26] 2010 Moscow Julfalakyan, ArsenArsen Julfalakyan Greco-Roman 74 kg 2 ! Silver [26] 2010 Moscow Patrikeyev, YuryYury Patrikeyev Greco-Roman 120 kg 2 ! Silver [26] 2011 Istanbul Julfalakyan, ArsenArsen Julfalakyan Greco-Roman 74 kg 3 ! Bronze [27] 2013 Budapest Amoyan, RomanRoman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 3 ! Bronze 2013 Budapest Julfalakyan, ArsenArsen Julfalakyan Greco-Roman 74 kg 3 ! Bronze 2013 Budapest Aleksanyan, ArturArtur Aleksanyan Greco-Roman 96 kg 2 ! Silver

Freestyle Year Athlete Style and weight Position Ref 1995 Atlanta Mkrtchyan, ArmenArmen Mkrtchyan Freestyle 48 kg 3 ! Bronze [28] 1995 Atlanta Gevorgyan, ArayikArayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 68 kg 1 ! Gold [28] 1997 Krasnoyarsk Gevorgyan, ArayikArayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 69 kg 1 ! Gold [29] 1998 Tehran Gevorgyan, ArayikArayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 69 kg 1 ! Gold [30] 2002 Tehran Margaryan, AramAram Margaryan Freestyle 60 kg 1 ! Gold [31] 2005 Budapest Berberyan, MartinMartin Berberyan Freestyle 60 kg 3 ! Bronze [32] 2006 Guangzhou Basiev, RuslanRuslan Basiev Freestyle 120 kg 3 ! Bronze [33] 2013 Budapest Safaryan, DavidDavid Safaryan Men's freestyle 66 kg 1 ! Gold

European Championships

Greco-Roman Year Athlete Style and weight Position Ref 1994 Athens Armen Nazaryan Greco-Roman 52 kg 1 ! Gold [34] 1994 Athens Aghasi Manukyan Greco-Roman 62 kg 2 ! Silver [34] 1995 Besançon Armen Nazaryan Greco-Roman 52 kg 1 ! Gold [35] 1995 Besançon Aghasi Manukyan Greco-Roman 57 kg 2 ! Silver [35] 1996 Budapest Armen Nazaryan Greco-Roman 52 kg 2 ! Silver [36] 1996 Budapest Mkhitar Manukyan Greco-Roman 62 kg 3 ! Bronze [36] 1997 Kouvola Karen Mnatsakanyan Greco-Roman 58 kg 1 ! Gold [37] 1999 Sofia Karen Mnatsakanyan Greco-Roman 58 kg 3 ! Bronze [38] 2000 Moscow Movses Karapetyan Greco-Roman 69 kg 3 ! Bronze [39] 2001 Istanbul Movses Karapetyan Greco-Roman 69 kg 3 ! Bronze [40] 2003 Belgrade Roman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 2 ! Silver [41] 2003 Belgrade Levon Geghamyan Greco-Roman 84 kg 2 ! Silver [41] 2004 Haparanda Vahan Juharyan Greco-Roman 60 kg 1 ! Gold [42] 2005 Varna Roman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 2 ! Silver [43] 2005 Varna Movses Karapetyan Greco-Roman 74 kg 1 ! Gold [43] 2006 Moscow Roman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 1 ! Gold [44] 2006 Moscow Karen Mnatsakanyan Greco-Roman 60 kg 1 ! Gold [44] 2006 Moscow Denis Forov Greco-Roman 84 kg 2 ! Silver [44] 2008 Tampere Roman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 2 ! Silver [45] 2008 Tampere Yury Patrikeyev Greco-Roman 120 kg 1 ! Gold [45] 2009 Vilnius Arsen Julfalakyan Greco-Roman 74 kg 1 ! Gold [46] 2009 Vilnius Yury Patrikeyev Greco-Roman 120 kg 1 ! Gold [44] 2011 Dortmund Roman Amoyan Greco-Roman 55 kg 1 ! Gold [47] 2011 Dortmund Artur Shahinyan Greco-Roman 84 kg 3 ! Bronze [47] 2011 Dortmund Artur Aleksanyan Greco-Roman 96 kg 2 ! Silver [47] 2011 Dortmund Yury Patrikeyev Greco-Roman 96 kg 3 ! Bronze [47] 2012 Belgrade Arsen Julfalakyan Greco-Roman 74 kg 3 ! Bronze [48] 2012 Belgrade Artur Aleksanyan Greco-Roman 96 kg 1 ! Gold [49] 2012 Belgrade Yury Patrikeyev Greco-Roman 120 kg 3 ! Bronze [50] 2013 Tbilisi Artur Aleksanyan Greco-Roman 96 kg 1 ! Gold [51] 2013 Tbilisi Vachik Yeghiazaryan Greco-Roman 120 kg 3 ! Bronze [52] 2013 Tbilisi Artur Shahinyan Greco-Roman 84 kg 3 ! Bronze [53]

Freestyle Year Athlete Style and weight Position Ref 1993 Istanbul Arayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 68 kg 2 ! Silver [54] 1994 Rome Armen Mkrtchyan Freestyle 48 kg 1 ! Gold [55] 1994 Rome Anushavan Sahakyan Freestyle 57 kg 1 ! Gold [55] 1994 Rome Araik Baghdadyan Freestyle 62 kg 2 ! Silver [55] 1994 Rome Arayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 68 kg 2 ! Silver [55] 1995 Fribourg Arayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 68 kg 3 ! Bronze [56] 1996 Budapest Armen Mkrtchyan Freestyle 48 kg 2 ! Silver [57] 1996 Budapest Arayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 68 kg 2 ! Silver [57] 1997 Warsaw Arayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 69 kg 1 ! Gold [58] 1998 Bratislava Arayik Gevorgyan Freestyle 76 kg 2 ! Silver [59] 2001 Budapest Armen Mkrtchyan Freestyle 54 kg 3 ! Bronze [60] 2003 Riga Mahmed Aghaev Freestyle 84 kg 2 ! Silver [61] 2004 Ankara Martin Berberyan Freestyle 55 kg 1 ! Gold [62] 2006 Moscow Ruslan Kokaev Freestyle 74 kg 2 ! Silver [63] 2006 Moscow Vadim Laliev Freestyle 84 kg 3 ! Bronze [63] 2006 Moscow Shamil Gitinov Freestyle 96 kg 2 ! Silver [63] 2007 Sofia Shamil Gitinov Freestyle 96 kg 3 ! Bronze [64] 2009 Vilnius Zhirayr Hovhannisyan Freestyle 66 kg 3 ! Bronze [65] 2009 Vilnius Edgar Yenokyan Freestyle 96 kg 3 ! Bronze [65] 2009 Vilnius Ruslan Basiev Freestyle 120 kg 2 ! Silver [65] 2011 Dortmund Musa Murtazaliev Freestyle 74 kg 2 ! Silver [47] 2012 Belgrade David Safaryan Freestyle 66 kg 3 ! Bronze [66] 2013 Tbilisi David Safaryan Freestyle 66 kg 1 ! Gold [67] 2013 Tbilisi Musa Murtazaliev Freestyle 84 kg 2 ! Silver [68]

European Championships (Women)

Year	Athlete	Style and weight	Position	Ref
2006 Moscow	Karine Shadoyan	Freestyle 72 kg	3 ! Bronze	[69]

FILA World Cup

Year	Position	Style	Member athletes	Ref
2010 Yerevan	3 ! Bronze	Greco-Roman	55 kg: Roman Amoyan 01 ! & Hautyun Hovhannisyan 60 kg: Artak Harutyunyan & Vahan Juharyan 66 kg: Arman Adikyan 02 ! & Hovhannes Varderesyan 74 kg: Varsham Boranyan & Arsen Julfalakyan 01 ! 84 kg: Denis Forov & Tigran Sahakyan 96 kg: Arman Geghamyan 02 ! & Sargis Tonoyan 120 kg: Yury Patrikeyev 01 ! & Vachik Yeghiazaryan	[70]

References