Armenian arm wrestler Vachagan Hovhannisyan claimed victory at the prestigious Super Match – World Cup tournament in Italy, securing 1st place in the 75 kg category with both hands. This weight class was new for the athlete, but he confidently overcame his opponents and earned qualification for the highly regarded East vs West international tournament.
Hovhannisyan now faces a tough challenge—in a month, he will compete in a professional Armfight against a world champion, a European champion, and a multiple-time Georgian champion. The match will take place in Batumi, and the athlete has already started preparing.
However, Vachagan is struggling with financial difficulties, as the Armenian Ministry of Sports does not support arm wrestlers, citing that the sport is not Olympic. He emphasizes that expenses for supplements, rehabilitation, travel, and training are quite high and expresses hope for support from sponsors and fans.
"If I can secure long-term sponsors, it will help develop not only me but also arm wrestling in Vanadzor and beyond," Hovhannisyan stated.