Azatyan’s silver and Zhigalova’s bronze: Armenia finishes 2026 World Sambo Championships with five medals

Armenia claimed two more medals on the final day of the 2026 World Sambo Championships in Tashkent. Gevorg Azatyan won silver, while Ekaterina Zhigalova secured bronze. The Armenian team finished the tournament with five medals — two silvers and three bronzes.

In the men’s combat sambo 79 kg category, Gevorg Azatyan recorded four consecutive victories over opponents from Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Georgia and Tajikistan. In a closely contested final, the Armenian narrowly lost 2–3 to Russia’s Aslanbek Kodzaev, taking the silver medal.

Ekaterina Zhigalova earned bronze in the women’s combat sambo 80 kg category. She defeated an opponent from the Philippines before losing to a representative of Kazakhstan in the semifinals. Russia’s Nadezhda Tatarchenko won the world title in this weight class.

Armenia’s other competitors on the final day finished without medals.

In the men’s sport sambo 71 kg category, Aram Aghajanyan defeated opponents from Syria and Azerbaijan before losing to a Russian competitor in the quarterfinals. Kazakhstan’s Amur Kuatay claimed gold.

In the 98 kg category, Arsen Hayrapetyan opened with a defeat to an Azerbaijani opponent, then lost to a Georgian competitor in the repechage. Russia’s Anton Konovalov became world champion.

In the men’s combat sambo over 98 kg category, Mkhitar Temuryan defeated a Georgian opponent before losing to a French competitor. Russia’s Mikhail Mokhnatkin won gold in this weight class.