Four Armenian Wrestlers to Compete on Opening Day of 2026 World Championships in Astana

The 2026 World Wrestling Championships will begin on October 24 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Greco-Roman wrestlers will be the first to take to the mats, with Armenia represented by four athletes on the opening day in the 55 kg, 60 kg, 77 kg and 82 kg weight categories.

Armenia's main medal hopes on the opening day rest on reigning world champion Malkhas Amoyan (77 kg) and one of the country's most promising young wrestlers, Suren Aghajanyan (60 kg). Experienced competitors Norayr Akhoyan (55 kg), aged 29, and Samvel Grigoryan (82 kg), aged 25, will also be looking to challenge for medals and potentially cause upsets.

Armenian Wrestlers' First Opponents at the 2026 World Championships

Following the draw held on October 23, the opening-round opponents of all four Armenian representatives have been confirmed:

• 55 kg (Round of 16): Norayr Akhoyan vs. Vakhtang Lolua (Georgia).

• 60 kg (Round of 32): Suren Aghajanyan vs. Dimitri Khachidze (Georgia).

• 77 kg (Round of 32): Malkhas Amoyan vs. Sergei Kutuzov (Russia).

• 82 kg (Round of 32): Samvel Grigoryan vs. Gamzat Gadzhiev (Russia).

Thus, two Armenian wrestlers will begin their World Championship campaigns against representatives of Georgia, while the other two will face Russian opponents.

Amoyan Begins His Title Defense as Aghajanyan Targets First World Championship Medal

All eyes will be on Malkhas Amoyan, who arrives in Astana as the reigning world champion and is aiming to claim the third World Championship gold medal of his career.

Amoyan is seeded second in the 77 kg division, but faces a challenging opening bout against Russia's Sergei Kutuzov.

Expectations are also high for Suren Aghajanyan. The young Armenian wrestler has already made a name for himself on the international stage, winning the European U23 title and a silver medal at the senior European Championships.

He will now seek to prove himself at the highest level in his debut appearance at the senior World Championships.

In his opening bout, Aghajanyan will face Georgia's Dimitri Khachidze, the 2025 European U23 champion.

In the 55 kg category, Norayr Akhoyan has been drawn against a formidable opponent in Georgia's top seed Vakhtang Lolua. Meanwhile, Samvel Grigoryan will open his campaign in the 82 kg division against strong Russian competitor Gamzat Gadzhiev.

What Time Will the World Championship Bouts Begin on October 24?

According to the official schedule published by United World Wrestling (UWW), qualification bouts in all four weight categories will begin on October 24 at 09:30 Yerevan time (10:30 in Astana).

The semifinal bouts are scheduled for 18:00 Yerevan time, while the medal matches in the 55 kg, 60 kg, 77 kg and 82 kg categories will take place the following day, October 25, starting at 17:00 Yerevan time.

The Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the World Championships will continue until October 27. Armenia will be represented by ten athletes, with one wrestler competing in each weight category.

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