First semifinals of the 2026 U23 European Freestyle Wrestling Championships announced

On March 9, the U23 European Freestyle Wrestling Championships kicked off in Zrenjanin, Serbia. Following the qualification bouts, the first semifinalists of the tournament have been determined.

Five wrestlers represented the Armenian national team on the opening day of competition. Only one of them managed to reach the semifinals.

Arman Musikyan (65 kg) confidently passed the opening rounds, securing two early victories against opponents from Hungary and Switzerland. In the semifinal, the Armenian wrestler will face Magomedkhan Magomedkhanov (Belarus).

The remaining Armenian wrestlers were defeated in the early stages but still retain chances to compete for bronze medals through the repechage rounds.

Arman Harutyunyan (57 kg), David Margaryan (70 kg), Hayk Papikyan (79 kg), and Gurgen Simonyan (97 kg) will continue their fight for a place in the repechage bracket if their opponents reach the final.

Semifinals of Day 1 – U23 European Freestyle Wrestling Championships

57 kg
Vasif Bagirov (Azerbaijan) — Nikoloz Bochoroshvili (Georgia)
Artem Pavlyuchenko (Belarus) — Ayanay Ondar (Russia)*

* Ondar must win for Arman Harutyunyan to enter the repechage round.

65 kg
Arman Musikyan (Armenia) — Magomedkhan Magomedkhanov (Belarus)
Djambulat Kizinov (Russia) — Viktor Borokhan (Ukraine)

70 kg
Marcel Wagin (Germany) — Magomed Emi Eltemirov (Russia)*
Alexander Gaidarli (Moldova) — Nikita Saryev (Ukraine)

* Eltemirov must win for David Margaryan to have a repechage chance.

79 kg
Mateusz Pediczki (Poland)* — Ismail Khaniev (Russia)
Sabukhi Amiraslanov (Azerbaijan) — Giorgi Gogrchiani (Georgia)

* A Pediczki victory would allow Hayk Papikyan to enter the repechage.

97 kg
Zafar Aliyev (Azerbaijan)* — Ivan Primachenko (Ukraine)
Mukhamed Khaniev (Russia) — Konstantin Petriashvili (Georgia)

* Aliyev must win for Gurgen Simonyan to keep his repechage chances.

How and where to watch the 2026 U23 European Freestyle Wrestling Championships online