Wrestling European Championship: Arthur Alexanyan Begins Competition, Armenia Has 4 More Representatives

The second competition day of the Greco-Roman wrestling European Championship is taking place on February 13 in Bucharest, Romania, with preliminary rounds for weight categories 60, 67, 72, 82, and 97 kg.

From the Armenian team, the competitors will be Gevorg Garibyan (60 kg), Slavik Galstyan (67 kg), Ashot Khachatryan (72 kg), Karen Khachatryan (82 kg), and Arthur Alexanyan (97 kg).

European champion and bronze medalist Gevorg Garibyan (60 kg) will start from the Round of 16 against his opponent Ilias Zairakis from Greece. World and European bronze medalist, and Paris Olympic Games qualifier Slavik Galstyan (67 kg) will also begin his fight from the Round of 16, with his opponent being Sweden's Oleg Niklas Jan Olov Pontus.

Ashot Khachatryan (72 kg) will also enter from the Round of 16, where he faces the 2019 European bronze medalist and 2015 European Games bronze medalist Dominik Etlinger.

Karen Khachatryan (82 kg) will commence from the Round of 16 as well, competing against the winner of the qualifications between Matej Mandic (Croatia) and Lukas Stavdacher (Austria).

Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medalist, four-time world champion, six-time European champion, and Paris 2024 qualifier Arthur Alexanyan (97 kg) will start from the Round of 16, facing the winner between Beytulla Kaisdag (Turkey) and Richard Karlsson (Estonia).

In the evening session, world champion and Paris Olympic Games qualifier Malkhas Amoyan will fight for his third European championship. In the 77 kg final, Amoyan will compete against world bronze medalist and two-time European runner-up Turkish Yuson Basar.

Newcomer to the Armenian national team Manvel Khachatryan will compete for the bronze medal in the 55 kg weight category, facing Stefan Grigorov from Bulgaria.

David Ovasapyan (130 kg), who competed on the first day and lost in the quarter-finals, will continue his campaign for the bronze medal after being defeated by Turkish Riza Kayalp, who has advanced to the final. Ovasapyan has received the opportunity to compete in a consolation match for the bronze medal.