Wrestling (Armenian: ըմբշամարտ, pronounced [əmbʃɑmɑɾt]) has deep historical roots in Armenia.^[1][2] Wrestling was practiced in the Armenian Highlands since ancient times. Armenians have their own variant of the sport 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. Over half of the fifteen Armenian Olympic medalists and the two gold medal winners have been wrestlers. The sport is overseen by the Wrestling Federation of Armenia.

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]

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 shalvar pants and are topless and were allowed to grab the legs of the opponent. In Lori Kokh, they wear chokha (traditional Caucasian costume) and have to grab the opponent's dress to throw or push them out. Until the 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 the 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 Ruben Karapetyan (1969 first junior world champion), 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, as of 2009, there were 25 wrestling schools in 10 provinces of Armenia, 304 coaches and 7,454 athletes practicing wrestling.^[12][13]

In 2021, government statistics showed 7,800 wrestlers in Armenia, including 4,000 in freestyle wrestling and 3,800 Greco-Roman wrestling. There were over 700 coaches and trainers in both. A little more than 1,000 people practiced Sambo and 126 practiced Kokh.^[14]

Records

Olympics

9 of the 18 Olympic medals of Armenia are from wrestling.

Games	Athlete	Style and weight	Position	Ref
1996 Atlanta	Armen Nazaryan	Greco-Roman 52 kg	Gold	[15]
1996 Atlanta	Armen Mkrtchyan	Freestyle 48 kg	Silver	[16]
2008 Beijing	Roman Amoyan	Greco-Roman 55 kg	Bronze	[17]
2008 Beijing	Yury Patrikeyev	Greco-Roman 120 kg	Bronze	[18]
2012 London	Arsen Julfalakyan	Greco-Roman 74 kg	Silver	[19]
2012 London	Artur Aleksanyan	Greco-Roman 96 kg	Bronze	[20]
2016 Rio	Migran Arutyunyan	Greco-Roman 66 kg	Silver	[21]
2016 Rio	Artur Aleksanyan	Greco-Roman 98 kg	Gold	[22]
2020 Tokyo	Artur Aleksanyan	Greco-Roman 97 kg	Silver

World Championships

Greco-Roman[edit] Year Athlete Weight Position Ref 1993 Stockholm Armen Nazaryan 52 kg  Silver [23] 1993 Stockholm Aghasi Manukyan 57 kg  Gold [23] 1995 Prague Armen Nazaryan 52 kg  Silver [24] 1995 Prague Mkhitar Manukyan 62 kg  Bronze [24] 1997 Wrocław Vahan Juharyan 54 kg  Silver [25] 2001 Patras Karen Mnatsakanyan 58 kg  Silver [26] 2001 Patras Vaghinak Galstyan 63 kg  Gold [26] 2007 Baku Yury Patrikeyev 120 kg  Bronze [27] 2009 Herning Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Silver [28] 2010 Moscow Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Bronze [29] 2010 Moscow Arsen Julfalakyan 74 kg  Silver [29] 2010 Moscow Yury Patrikeyev 120 kg  Silver [29] 2011 Istanbul Arsen Julfalakyan 74 kg  Bronze [30] 2013 Budapest Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Bronze [31] 2013 Budapest Arsen Julfalakyan 74 kg  Bronze [31] 2013 Budapest Artur Aleksanyan 96 kg  Silver [31] 2014 Tashkent Arsen Julfalakyan 75 kg  Gold 2014 Tashkent Artur Aleksanyan 98 kg  Gold 2015 Las Vegas Artur Aleksanyan 98 kg  Gold 2017 Paris Maksim Manukyan 80 kg  Gold 2017 Paris Artur Aleksanyan 98 kg  Gold 2018 Budapest Maksim Manukyan 82 kg  Bronze 2018 Budapest Artur Shahinyan 87 kg  Bronze 2019 Nur-Sultan Slavik Galstyan 63 kg  Bronze 2019 Nur-Sultan Artur Aleksanyan 97 kg  Silver Freestyle[edit] Year Athlete Weight Position Ref 1995 Atlanta Armen Mkrtchyan 48 kg  Bronze [32] 1995 Atlanta Arayik Gevorgyan 68 kg  Gold [32] 1997 Krasnoyarsk Arayik Gevorgyan 69 kg  Gold [33] 1998 Tehran Arayik Gevorgyan 69 kg  Gold [34] 2002 Tehran Aram Margaryan 60 kg  Gold [35] 2005 Budapest Martin Berberyan 60 kg  Bronze [36] 2006 Guangzhou Ruslan Basiev 120 kg  Bronze [37] 2013 Budapest David Safaryan 66 kg  Gold [31] 2017 Paris Georgy Ketoyev 97 kg  Bronze 2017 Paris Levan Berianidze 125 kg  Bronze

European Championships

Greco-Roman[edit] Year Athlete Weight Position Ref 1994 Athens Armen Nazaryan 52 kg  Gold [38] 1994 Athens Aghasi Manukyan 62 kg  Silver [38] 1995 Besançon Armen Nazaryan 52 kg  Gold [39] 1995 Besançon Aghasi Manukyan 57 kg  Silver [39] 1996 Budapest Armen Nazaryan 52 kg  Silver [40] 1996 Budapest Mkhitar Manukyan 62 kg  Bronze [40] 1997 Kouvola Karen Mnatsakanyan 58 kg  Gold [41] 1999 Sofia Karen Mnatsakanyan 58 kg  Bronze [42] 2000 Moscow Movses Karapetyan 69 kg  Bronze [43] 2001 Istanbul Movses Karapetyan 69 kg  Bronze [44] 2003 Belgrade Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Silver [45] 2003 Belgrade Levon Geghamyan 84 kg  Silver [45] 2004 Haparanda Vahan Juharyan 60 kg  Gold [46] 2005 Varna Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Silver [47] 2005 Varna Movses Karapetyan 74 kg  Gold [47] 2006 Moscow Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Gold [48] 2006 Moscow Karen Mnatsakanyan 60 kg  Gold [48] 2006 Moscow Denis Forov 84 kg  Silver [48] 2008 Tampere Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Silver [49] 2008 Tampere Yury Patrikeyev 120 kg  Gold [49] 2009 Vilnius Arsen Julfalakyan 74 kg  Gold [50] 2009 Vilnius Yury Patrikeyev 120 kg  Gold [48] 2011 Dortmund Roman Amoyan 55 kg  Gold [51] 2011 Dortmund Artur Shahinyan 84 kg  Bronze [51] 2011 Dortmund Artur Aleksanyan 96 kg  Silver [51] 2011 Dortmund Yury Patrikeyev 96 kg  Bronze [51] 2012 Belgrade Arsen Julfalakyan 74 kg  Bronze [52] 2012 Belgrade Artur Aleksanyan 96 kg  Gold [53] 2012 Belgrade Yury Patrikeyev 120 kg  Bronze [54] 2013 Tbilisi Artur Aleksanyan 96 kg  Gold [55] 2013 Tbilisi Vachik Yeghiazaryan 120 kg  Bronze [56] 2013 Tbilisi Artur Shahinyan 84 kg  Bronze [57] 2014 Vantaa Arsen Julfalakyan 75 kg  Silver 2014 Vantaa Artur Aleksanyan 98 kg  Gold 2016 Riga Varsham Boranyan 71 kg  Gold 2016 Riga Roman Amoyan 59 kg  Silver 2016 Riga Karapet Chalyan 75 kg  Bronze 2016 Riga Artur Aleksanyan 98 kg  Silver 2017 Novi Sad Artur Aleksanyan 98 kg  Bronze 2018 Kaspiysk Karen Aslanyan 67 kg  Bronze 2018 Kaspiysk Maksim Manukyan 82 kg  Gold 2018 Kaspiysk Artur Aleksanyan 97 kg  Gold 2019 Bucharest Karen Aslanyan 67 kg  Bronze 2019 Bucharest Arsen Julfalakyan 77 kg  Bronze 2020 Rome Gevorg Gharibyan 60 kg  Gold 2020 Rome Karen Aslanyan 67 kg  Bronze 2020 Rome Karapet Chalyan 77 kg  Bronze 2020 Rome Artur Aleksanyan 97 kg  Gold 2021 Warsaw Rudik Mkrtchyan 55 kg  Bronze 2021 Warsaw Slavik Galstyan 67 kg  Bronze 2021 Warsaw Malkhas Amoyan 72 kg  Silver 2022 Budapest Rudik Mkrtchyan 55 kg  Bronze 2022 Budapest Gevorg Gharibyan 60 kg  Bronze 2022 Budapest Slavik Galstyan 67 kg  Bronze 2022 Budapest Malkhas Amoyan 77 kg  Gold 2022 Budapest Malkhas Amoyan 77 kg  Gold 2023 Zagreb Hrachya Poghosyan 63 kg  Bronze 2023 Zagreb Malkhas Amoyan 77 kg  Gold 2023 Zagreb Artur Aleksanyan 97 kg  Gold

Freestyle[edit] Year Athlete Weight Position Ref 1993 Istanbul Arayik Gevorgyan 68 kg  Silver [58] 1994 Rome Armen Mkrtchyan 48 kg  Gold [59] 1994 Rome Anushavan Sahakyan 57 kg  Gold [59] 1994 Rome Araik Baghdadyan 62 kg  Silver [59] 1994 Rome Arayik Gevorgyan 68 kg  Silver [59] 1995 Fribourg Arayik Gevorgyan 68 kg  Bronze [60] 1996 Budapest Armen Mkrtchyan 48 kg  Silver [61] 1996 Budapest Arayik Gevorgyan 68 kg  Silver [61] 1997 Warsaw Arayik Gevorgyan 69 kg  Gold [62] 1998 Bratislava Arayik Gevorgyan 76 kg  Silver [63] 2001 Budapest Armen Mkrtchyan 54 kg  Bronze [64] 2003 Riga Mahmed Aghaev 84 kg  Silver [65] 2004 Ankara Martin Berberyan 55 kg  Gold [66] 2006 Moscow Ruslan Kokaev 74 kg  Silver [67] 2006 Moscow Vadim Laliev 84 kg  Bronze [67] 2006 Moscow Shamil Gitinov 96 kg  Silver [67] 2007 Sofia Shamil Gitinov 96 kg  Bronze [68] 2009 Vilnius Zhirayr Hovhannisyan 66 kg  Bronze [69] 2009 Vilnius Edgar Yenokyan 96 kg  Bronze [69] 2009 Vilnius Ruslan Basiev 120 kg  Silver [69] 2011 Dortmund Musa Murtazaliev 74 kg  Silver [51] 2012 Belgrade David Safaryan 66 kg  Bronze [70] 2013 Tbilisi David Safaryan 66 kg  Gold [71] 2013 Tbilisi Musa Murtazaliev 84 kg  Silver [72] 2014 Vantaa Garik Barseghyan 57 kg  Bronze 2021 Skopje Razmik Papikyan 61 kg  Silver 2014 Vantaa Musa Murtazaliev 86 kg  Bronze 2017 Novi Sad Valodya Frangulyan 61 kg  Bronze 2017 Novi Sad Grigor Grigoryan 74 kg  Bronze 2017 Novi Sad Levan Berianidze 125 kg  Bronze 2019 Bucharest Arsen Harutyunyan 61 kg  Gold 2020 Rome Arsen Harutyunyan 61 kg  Bronze 2021 Warsaw Arman Andreasyan 70 kg  Bronze 2022 Budapest Manvel Khndzrtsyan 57 kg  Bronze 2022 Budapest Arsen Harutyunyan 61 kg  Gold 2022 Budapest Arman Andreasyan 70 kg  Silver 2023 Zagreb Arsen Harutyunyan 61 kg  Gold 2023 Zagreb Vazgen Tevanyan 65 kg  Gold

European Championships (Women)

Year	Athlete	Style and weight	Position	Ref
2006 Moscow	Karine Shadoyan	Freestyle 72 kg	Bronze	[73]

World Cup

Year	Position	Style	Member athletes	Ref
2009 Clermont-Ferrand	Bronze	Greco-Roman
2010 Yerevan	Bronze	Greco-Roman	55 kg: Roman Amoyan & Harutyun Hovhannisyan 60 kg: Artak Harutyunyan & Vahan Juharyan 66 kg: Arman Adikyan & Hovhannes Varderesyan 74 kg: Varsham Boranyan & Arsen Julfalakyan 84 kg: Denis Forov & Tigran Sahakyan 96 kg: Arman Geghamyan & Sargis Tonoyan 120 kg: Yury Patrikeyev & Vachik Yeghiazaryan	[74]