From April 7 to 9, 2025, Bratislava, Slovakia, will host the European Freestyle Wrestling Championships—a key event for fans of the sport. Armenian supporters are focused on rising star Manvel Khndzrtsyan, who will represent the country in the 57 kg weight class. We analyze his chances and main competitors.
57 kg
Armenia’s Representative: Manvel Khndzrtsyan
The 24-year-old wrestler from Shirak Province has already made his mark internationally. Khndzrtsyan is a bronze medalist at the 2022 European Championships, silver medalist at the 2023 U23 World Championships, and a multiple medalist at European youth and junior championships. Despite his young age, he regularly competes for Armenia at top-tier tournaments, showcasing a fierce competitive spirit.
In 2025, Khndzrtsyan participated in the Zagreb Ranking Tournament, finishing 8th. However, his standout achievement there was a victory over Japan’s Kento Yumiya—the reigning 2024 Asian Champion. This result confirms Khndzrtsyan’s ability to defeat elite opponents, even if his overall tournament performance is uneven.
Manvel Khndzrtsyan’s Head-to-Head Matches Against 2025 European Championship Participants
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) vs. Muhammet Karavus (Turkey) 11-8 | U23 World Championship (2024).
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) vs. Muhammet Karavus (Turkey) 14-4 | European Championship 2022.
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) vs. Muhammet Karavus (Turkey) 4-8 | U20 World Championship (2021).
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) vs. Niklas Stechele (Germany) 6-2 | European Championship 2022.
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) vs. Niklas Stechele (Germany) 2-1 | U23 World Championship (2023).
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) vs. Nachyn Mongush (Russia) 0-11 | U23 World Championship 2023 Final.
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) vs. Thomas Epp (Switzerland) 10-0 | U20 European Championship 2021.
Full List of 57 kg Participants
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Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) — 24 years old.
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Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) — 26 years old.
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Ivaylo TISOV (BUL) — 23 years old.
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Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) — 27 years old.
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Niklas STECHELE (GER) — 25 years old.
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Rocco TERRANOVA (ITA) — 24 years old.
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Razvan KOVACS (ROU) — 29 years old.
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Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) — 31 years old.
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Thomas EPP (SUI) — 24 years old.
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Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR) — 22 years old.
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Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) — 25 years old.
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Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW, Russia) — 25 years old.
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Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW, Belarus) — 30 years old.
Main Favorites
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Nachyn Mongush (UWW, Russia): The Tuvan wrestler is a top favorite in Bratislava. Mongush is the 2023 U23 World Champion and 2021 European Championship silver medalist. In January 2024, he won the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial Tournament and secured a spot on Russia’s national team.
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Islam Bazarganov (Azerbaijan): A Dagestani-born wrestler representing Azerbaijan, he is the 2024 European Championship bronze medalist and 2025 Zagreb Ranking Tournament silver medalist.
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Azamat Tuskayev (Serbia): An Ossetian representing Serbia, Tuskayev is the 2020 European Champion and 2025 Zagreb Ranking Tournament bronze medalist.
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Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia): As highlighted above, the Armenian wrestler remains a dark horse with proven ability to challenge top contenders.
The competition in Bratislava promises high stakes, with Khndzrtsyan aiming to leverage his experience and recent breakthroughs for a podium finish.