Vahe Hoveyan becomes U17 European champion in Greco-Roman wrestling

Armenian wrestler Vahe Hoveyan has won gold at the 2026 U17 European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships, which are taking place in Samokov, Bulgaria.

In the final of the 80 kg weight category, the 15-year-old representative of the Armenian national team delivered a dominant performance and defeated his Hungarian opponent ahead of time with an 8:0 score. The bout lasted only one minute.

Hoveyan went through the entire tournament with confidence. On his way to the final, the Armenian wrestler defeated a representative of Turkey 6:2, then overcame an athlete from Poland 5:1, and in the semifinal beat a wrestler from Lithuania 6:1.

Vahe Hoveyan’s gold became Armenia’s first title at this European Championship and already the team’s fourth medal of the tournament.

Earlier, Zaven Mezhlumyan won a silver medal for Armenia in the 65 kg weight category. Ararat Avetisyan took bronze in the 48 kg division, while Gegham Yeghiazaryan also claimed bronze in the 55 kg category.

Yeghiazaryan’s bronze-medal bout was especially dramatic: the Armenian wrestler managed to score the decisive point just one second before the end of the match, bringing an important medal to the team.

Armenia’s campaign in Samokov is not over yet. Tomorrow, Armenian wrestlers will compete in two more finals and may also fight for two additional bronze medals.

Thus, Armenia already has four medals at the U17 European Championships: one gold, one silver and two bronze.