Manvel Khndzrtsyan wins bronze at the 2026 European Championships

Armenian freestyle wrestler Manvel Khndzrtsyan won a bronze medal at the 2026 European Championships in the 57 kg weight category. This marks his second bronze medal at the senior continental level.

In the bronze medal match, Khnzrtcyan showed great determination and fighting spirit. Trailing 1–6 against Serbian wrestler Azamat Tuskaev, he managed to turn the tide, level the score, and secure an early victory — 18–6.

On his way to the podium in Tirana, Khndzrtsyan confidently defeated several opponents, including Germany’s Horst Lehr (12–6) and Romania’s Razvan Kovacs (12–1). However, in the semifinals, the Armenian wrestler lost to Russia’s Musea Mekhtikhanov with a score of 0–5.

The European champion in this weight category was Azerbaijan’s Islam Bazarganov, who defeated Mekhtikhanov in the final.