Armenia's Freestyle Wrestling Coach Reflects on 2026 World Championships: "We Expected Medals from Several Wrestlers"

Armenia's national freestyle wrestling team head coach, Habetnak Kurghinyan, has assessed his team's performance at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships in Astana. Armenia finished the tournament with one silver medal, won by Vazgen Tevanyan in the 65 kg weight category.

Speaking at a press conference hosted by Armenpress, Kurghinyan said he was generally satisfied with the team's performance but believed the results could have been better.

"I am very happy with Vazgen Tevanyan's result. It has been a long time since Armenia had a freestyle wrestler reach a World Championships final. As for the other members of the team, we can generally say that they performed within their capabilities," the coach stated.

However, Kurghinyan acknowledged that the coaching staff had expected medals from Arsen Harutyunyan, Arman Andreasyan and Manvel Khndzrtsyan.

"We had high expectations for Arsen Harutyunyan, who has won bronze medals at several World Championships. We expected another strong result from him, although he faced a very tough opponent. We also expected medals from Arman Andreasyan and Manvel Khndzrtsyan. I believe we will analyze our shortcomings and work on correcting our mistakes," Kurghinyan added.

Tevanyan Explains His Defeat in the World Championship Final

Vazgen Tevanyan competed in five bouts at the World Championships and claimed the first World Championship silver medal of his career. In the 65 kg final, the Armenian wrestler suffered a 9–1 defeat to American Bo Bassett.

According to Tevanyan, accumulated fatigue was one of the factors behind his defeat in the decisive bout.

"All the matches were very intense. I would particularly highlight the final, although things did not go as we had planned with my coaches. The day before, we carefully analyzed everything and worked out our strategy, but the tension and fatigue from the first day took their toll. It was noticeable on the mat the following day," the wrestler explained.

Tevanyan emphasized that his goal had been to win gold, although he was also pleased with his silver medal. He now intends to focus on correcting mistakes and developing the right tactics for future competitions.

His personal coach, Rafik Goletsyan, described the silver medal as a long-awaited achievement that had required years of hard work.

"There were years when we came very close to winning this medal, but for various reasons, things did not work out. Thank God we finally achieved this result. We will continue working on our mistakes so that silver can turn into gold. The Olympic Games are ahead of us, and our goal is to return with medals," Goletsyan said.

Armenia's Upcoming Wrestling Schedule

Kurghinyan also outlined the national team's plans for the coming months. The Armenian National Championships will take place in December 2026, followed by training camps in Tsaghkadzor.

Starting in February 2027, Armenian wrestlers are scheduled to compete in international tournaments.

Armenia finished 14th in the team standings at the 2026 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships, collecting 20 points. Vazgen Tevanyan secured the team's only medal.