2026 European Pankration Championship in Yerevan: Tournament Results

From May 28 to 29, the 2026 European Pankration Championship under the auspices of UWW was held in Yerevan among boys and girls in the U15 and U17 age categories. The tournament brought together athletes from nine countries: Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Belarus, Poland and Italy.

The Armenian national team was represented by a large number of participants and finished the home championship with 25 medals, including 5 gold medals. For Armenia’s young athletes, the tournament became an important test at international level, while several victories were achieved in highly competitive weight categories.

Gor Arakelyan deserves special mention. He became European champion among U17 boys in the 57 kg weight category. Twelve athletes competed in this division, and on his way to gold, Armenia’s representative defeated opponents from Armenia, Ukraine and Russia.

Another impressive victory was claimed by Hamlet Darchinyan. He became European champion among U15 boys in the 53 kg weight category, where the competition was also strong, with 9 participants. In the final, Darchinyan defeated another Armenian representative, Hovsep Sergeyan, after previously overcoming opponents from Ukraine and Armenia.

Among U17 boys, Armenian athletes regularly reached the podium. In addition to Gor Arakelyan’s gold medal, silver medals were won by Avet Barseghyan in the 62 kg category and Roman Hovhannisyan in the 71 kg category. Bronze medals went to Vanik Harutyunyan, Sargis Sargsyan, Aramais Mkrtchyan, Robert Gevorgyan and Tigran Mkrtumyan.

In the U17 boys’ team standings, Armenia finished second with 139 points. Russia won the team competition with 150 points, while Ukraine finished third with 129.

Among U17 girls, Milena Hovhannisyan won a bronze medal for Armenia in the 66 kg weight category. In the U17 girls’ team standings, the Armenian team scored 15 points.

The U15 boys’ tournament was the most successful for Armenia. In this age group, the Armenian national team won the team standings with 165 points, ahead of Russia and Ukraine. In addition to Hamlet Darchinyan’s gold medal, Stepan Ghazaryan also became champion in the 77 kg weight category, while Armenian athletes also won several silver and bronze medals in other categories.

Silver medals among U15 boys were won by Hovsep Sergeyan, David Gasparyan, Garik Gareginian, Gor Grigoryan, Smbat Grigoryan and Ernest Gevorgyan. Bronze medals went to Davit Manukyan, Artavazd Andreasyan, Narek Danielyan, Harutyun Vardanyan, Erik Terteryan and Kim Arakelyan.

Armenian athletes also won medals among U15 girls. Sofi Khachatryan became European champion in the 71 kg weight category, while Mane Stepanyan won bronze in the 50 kg category. In the U15 girls’ team standings, Armenia scored 40 points and finished third behind Russia and Ukraine.

Thus, the home European Pankration Championship proved successful for Armenia’s youth national team. The team won 25 medals, claimed first place in the U15 boys’ team standings and finished second among U17 boys, confirming the high potential of the new generation of Armenian athletes.

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Results of the 2026 European Pankration Championship

Boys U17

57 kg — 12 participants

1. Gor Arakelyan — Armenia
2. Khamzat Chitayev — Russia
3. Vadym Shovkopolias — Ukraine
4. Vanik Harutyunyan — Armenia

62 kg — 12 participants

1. Khizir Abayev — Russia
2. Avet Barseghyan — Armenia
3. Daniel Pyczek — Poland
4. Subudai Kichel Ool — Russia

66 kg — 12 participants

1. Aidan Nokhayev — Russia
2. Denys Alekseev — Ukraine
3. Ilya Pirveli — Georgia
4. Sargis Sargsyan — Armenia

71 kg — 11 participants

1. Imran Khashiyev — Russia
2. Roman Hovhannisyan — Armenia
3. Roman Arakelyan — Russia
4. Mikhail Yablakov — Belarus

77 kg — 8 participants

1. Zakhar Larichev — Russia
2. Nikita Floryak — Ukraine
3. Leonid Andreyev — Russia
4. Mansur Avezov — Russia

84 kg — 9 participants

1. Marcel Ryzhko — Poland
2. Ivan Myslovskyi — Ukraine
3. Alessio Lecchese — Italy
4. Nikita Matrosov

93 kg — 3 participants

1. Aramais Mkrtchyan — Armenia
2. Oleksandr Khuk — Ukraine
3. Robert Gevorgyan — Armenia

100 kg — 5 participants

1. Nikita Vitrenko — Ukraine
2. Biagio Piserchia — Italy
3. Gleb Komarov — Russia
4. Tigran Mkrtumyan — Armenia

Team standings — Boys U17

1. Russia — 150 points
2. Armenia — 139
3. Ukraine — 129
4. Italy — 50
5. Poland — 49

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Girls U17

50 kg — 2 participants

1. Viktoria Raznosilina — Russia
2. Darina Afandiyeva — Russia

53 kg — 3 participants

1. Anastasia Kucherenko — Ukraine
2. Polina Saliy — Russia
3. Alexia Glech — Russia

57 kg — 4 participants

1. Kateryna Bila — Ukraine
2. Daria Zhenevska — Ukraine
3. Sofia Alekseeva — Russia
4. Eva Mazanova — Russia

62 kg — 4 participants

1. Daria Malchevska — Ukraine
2. Valeria Pyannikova — Russia
3. Elizaveta Antokhina — Russia
4. Arina Tikhonova — Russia

66 kg — 3 participants

1. Kira Skripnik — Russia
2. Sofia Manzhikova — Russia
3. Milena Hovhannisyan — Armenia

71 kg — 2 participants

1. Varvara Arbuzova — Russia
2. Bianka Zawadzka — Poland

Team standings — Girls U17

1. Russia — 130 points
2. Ukraine — 75
3. Poland — 20
4. Armenia — 15

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Boys U15

53 kg — 9 participants

1. Hamlet Darchinyan — Armenia
2. Hovsep Sergeyan — Armenia
3. Tykhon Milchenko — Ukraine
4. Yuri Kiselyov — Russia

57 kg — 6 participants

1. David Zinchuk — Ukraine
2. Turpal Chuzhayev — Russia
3. Davit Manukyan — Armenia
4. Andrey Baltinsky — Russia

62 kg — 9 participants

1. Anton Nezamai — Ukraine
2. David Gasparyan — Armenia
3. Ramin Babayev — Russia
4. Artavazd Andreasyan — Armenia

65 kg — 4 participants

1. Narek Soghomonyan — Russia
2. Garik Gareginian — Armenia
3. Christian Piserchia — Italy
4. Narek Danielyan — Armenia

71 kg — 3 participants

1. Tymur Pechuliak — Ukraine
2. Gor Grigoryan — Armenia
3. Harutyun Vardanyan — Armenia

77 kg — 2 participants

1. Stepan Ghazaryan — Armenia
2. Erik Terteryan — Armenia

84 kg — 3 participants

1. Idris Mintayev — Russia
2. Smbat Grigoryan — Armenia
3. Kim Arakelyan — Armenia

+84 kg — 2 participants

1. Francesco De Simone — Italy
2. Ernest Gevorgyan — Armenia

Team standings — Boys U15

1. Armenia — 165 points
2. Russia — 100
3. Ukraine — 90
4. Italy — 40

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Girls U15

50 kg — 4 participants

1. Valeria Manakhova — Russia
2. Anastasia Golovina — Ukraine
3. Mane Stepanyan — Armenia
4. Alexandra Larskaya — Russia

53 kg — 3 participants

1. Anastasia Savvateeva — Russia
2. Daria Volkova — Russia
3. Varvara Visengeriyeva — Russia

62 kg — 2 participants

1. Olga Rusnak — Ukraine
2. Alexandra Tikhomirova — Russia

71 kg — 2 participants

1. Sofi Khachatryan — Armenia
2. Vselina Melnychuk — Ukraine

Team standings — Girls U15

1. Russia — 70 points
2. Ukraine — 65
3. Armenia — 40

On May 30 and 31, the UWW European 2026 MMA Championship is taking place in Yerevan, as well as competitions among U20 youth athletes and adults.