Wrestling in Armenia explained

Wrestling (Armenian: ըմբշամարտ, in Armenian pronounced as /əmbʃɑmɑɾt/) has deep historical roots in Armenia.[1] [2] Wrestling was practiced in the Armenian Highlands since ancient times. Armenians have their own variant of the sport called Kokh. It was recorded that King Tiridates III of Armenia won the Ancient Olympic Games in wrestling in 281 AD. During the Soviet era, wrestling became one of the most practiced sports in Armenia and remained popular after Armenia's independence in 1991. Armenian athletes have been successful at international competitions in the last two decades. Many have become World and European champions, both in Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling. Over half of the fifteen Armenian Olympic medalists and the two gold medal winners have been wrestlers. The sport is overseen by the Wrestling Federation of Armenia.

History

Ancient history

At the 265th Olympiad (281 AD) the Armenian King Tiridates III (286–342 AD), who in 301 AD adopted Christianity as the state religion, making Armenia the first Christian nation, became an Olympic Champion in wrestling.[3] [4]

Kokh

Kokh (Armenian: [[:hy:Կոխ|Կոխ]]) is the Armenian national wrestling,[5] [6] known since the Early Middle Ages. It's considered to be one of the oldest forms of wrestling.[5] It had influenced the Soviet martial sport Sambo.[7]

The winner is the one who throws the opponent on the mat without boosting and/or turning him. Pushing the opponent out of the mat, which has a radius of 7–9 meters,[8] also results in winning. A Kokh fight usually lasts from 5 to 10 minutes. The Kokh fights are often accompanied with Armenian folk music and before the beginning of a fight wrestlers do folk dances.[5]

Two varieties of Kokh are Lori Kokh and Shirak Kokh. The main difference between two styles is between the clothing. In Shirak Kokh, wrestlers wear shalvar pants and are topless and were allowed to grab the legs of the opponent. In Lori Kokh, they wear chokha (traditional Caucasian costume) and have to grab the opponent's dress to throw or push them out. Until the late 1980s, Kokh was practiced in rural areas of Armenia, although no professional Kokh athletes existed. Today, about 700 children in Armenia practice Kokh.[9]

Soviet period

Sports in general and wrestling, particularly, became popular in Armenia in the 1920s and 1930s, but it wasn't until the end of the World War II, when Armenian and Soviet athletes started to appear on international competitions. Sargis Vardanyan became the Soviet champion of Greco-Roman wrestling twice, in 1940 and 1944. In later years, Armenian Greco-Roman wrestlers had significant role in Soviet wrestling. Notable ones included Ruben Karapetyan (1969 first junior world champion), Artem Teryan (First wrestling Olympic medalist), Suren Nalbandyan (1976 Olympic champion), Sanasar Oganisyan (1980 Olympic champion), Norayr Musheghian (1958 World Champion), Benur Pashayan (1982 and 1983 World Champion), Levon Julfalakyan (1986 World Champion), Mnatsakan Iskandaryan (1990, 1991, 1994 World Champion).[10]

Independent Armenia

The Federation of Freestyle Wrestling of Armenia and the Federation of Greco-Roman Wrestling Federation were founded in 1992 and were merged in 1996 forming the Wrestling Federation of Armenia. It is the national governing body of the sport in the country.[11] According to Razmik Stepanyan, secretary of the Armenian Olympic Committee, as of 2009, there were 25 wrestling schools in 10 provinces of Armenia, 304 coaches and 7,454 athletes practicing wrestling.[12] [13]

In 2021, government statistics showed 7,800 wrestlers in Armenia, including 4,000 in freestyle wrestling and 3,800 Greco-Roman wrestling. There were over 700 coaches and trainers in both. A little more than 1,000 people practiced Sambo and 126 practiced Kokh.[14]

Records

Olympics

See also: Armenia at the Olympics and Wrestling at the Summer Olympics. 9 of the 18 Olympic medals of Armenia are from wrestling.

Games Athlete Style and weightPosition
1996 AtlantaGreco-Roman 52 kg
1996 AtlantaFreestyle 48 kg
2008 BeijingGreco-Roman 55 kg
2008 BeijingGreco-Roman 120 kg
2012 LondonGreco-Roman 74 kg
2012 LondonGreco-Roman 96 kg
2016 RioGreco-Roman 66 kg
2016 RioGreco-Roman 98 kg
2020 TokyoGreco-Roman 97 kg
2024 ParisGreco-Roman 97 kg
2024 ParisGreco-Roman 77 kg

World Championships

See also: World Wrestling Championships.

Greco-Roman

YearAthlete WeightPosition
1993 Stockholm52 kg
1993 Stockholm57 kg
1995 Prague52 kg
1995 Prague62 kg
1997 Wrocław54 kg
2001 Patras58 kg
2001 Patras63 kg
2007 Baku120 kg
2009 Herning55 kg
2010 Moscow55 kg
2010 Moscow74 kg
2010 Moscow120 kg
2011 Istanbul74 kg
2013 Budapest55 kg
2013 Budapest74 kg
2013 Budapest96 kg
2014 Tashkent75 kg
2014 Tashkent98 kg
2015 Las Vegas98 kg
2017 Paris80 kg
2017 Paris98 kg
2018 Budapest82 kg
2018 Budapest87 kg
2019 Nur-Sultan63 kg
2019 Nur-Sultan97 kg
2021 Oslo72 kg
2022 Belgrade97 kg
2022 Belgrade77 kg
2023 Belgrade77 kg
2023 Belgrade97 kg

Freestyle

YearAthlete WeightPosition
1995 Atlanta48 kg
1995 Atlanta68 kg
1997 Krasnoyarsk69 kg
1998 Tehran69 kg
2002 Tehran60 kg
2005 Budapest60 kg
2006 Guangzhou120 kg
2013 Budapest66 kg
2017 Paris97 kg
2017 Paris125 kg
2021 Oslo61 kg
2022 Belgrade61 kg
2023 Belgrade57 kg
2023 Belgrade65 kg
2023 Belgrade70 kg

European Championships

See also: European Wrestling Championships.

Greco-Roman

YearAthlete WeightPosition
1994 AthensArmen Nazaryan52 kg
1994 AthensAghasi Manukyan62 kg
1995 BesançonArmen Nazaryan52 kg
1995 BesançonAghasi Manukyan57 kg
1996 BudapestArmen Nazaryan52 kg
1996 BudapestMkhitar Manukyan62 kg
1997 KouvolaKaren Mnatsakanyan58 kg
1999 SofiaKaren Mnatsakanyan58 kg
2000 MoscowMovses Karapetyan69 kg
2001 IstanbulMovses Karapetyan69 kg
2003 BelgradeRoman Amoyan55 kg
2003 BelgradeLevon Geghamyan84 kg
2004 HaparandaVahan Juharyan60 kg
2005 VarnaRoman Amoyan55 kg
2005 VarnaMovses Karapetyan74 kg
2006 MoscowRoman Amoyan55 kg
2006 MoscowKaren Mnatsakanyan60 kg
2006 MoscowDenis Forov84 kg
2008 TampereRoman Amoyan55 kg
2008 TampereYury Patrikeyev120 kg
2009 VilniusArsen Julfalakyan74 kg
2009 VilniusYury Patrikeyev120 kg
2011 DortmundRoman Amoyan55 kg
2011 DortmundArtur Shahinyan84 kg
2011 DortmundArtur Aleksanyan96 kg
2011 DortmundYury Patrikeyev96 kg
2012 BelgradeArsen Julfalakyan74 kg
2012 BelgradeArtur Aleksanyan96 kg
2012 BelgradeYury Patrikeyev120 kg
2013 TbilisiArtur Aleksanyan96 kg
2013 TbilisiVachik Yeghiazaryan120 kg
2013 TbilisiArtur Shahinyan84 kg
2014 VantaaArsen Julfalakyan75 kg
2014 VantaaArtur Aleksanyan98 kg
2016 RigaVarsham Boranyan71 kg
2016 RigaRoman Amoyan59 kg
2016 RigaKarapet Chalyan75 kg
2016 RigaArtur Aleksanyan98 kg
2017 Novi SadArtur Aleksanyan98 kg
2018 KaspiyskKaren Aslanyan67 kg
2018 KaspiyskMaksim Manukyan82 kg
2018 KaspiyskArtur Aleksanyan97 kg
2019 BucharestKaren Aslanyan67 kg
2019 BucharestArsen Julfalakyan77 kg
2020 RomeGevorg Gharibyan60 kg
2020 RomeKaren Aslanyan67 kg
2020 RomeKarapet Chalyan77 kg
2020 RomeArtur Aleksanyan97 kg
2021 WarsawRudik Mkrtchyan55 kg
2021 WarsawSlavik Galstyan67 kg
2021 WarsawMalkhas Amoyan72 kg
2022 BudapestRudik Mkrtchyan55 kg
2022 BudapestGevorg Gharibyan60 kg
2022 BudapestSlavik Galstyan67 kg
2022 BudapestMalkhas Amoyan77 kg
2022 BudapestMalkhas Amoyan77 kg
2023 ZagrebHrachya Poghosyan63 kg
2023 ZagrebMalkhas Amoyan77 kg
2023 ZagrebArtur Aleksanyan97 kg
2024 BucharestManvel Khachatryan2024 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 55 kg
2024 BucharestMalkhas Amoyan2024 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 77 kg
2024 BucharestArtur Aleksanyan2024 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 97 kg

Freestyle

YearAthlete WeightPosition
1993 IstanbulArayik Gevorgyan68 kg
1994 RomeArmen Mkrtchyan48 kg
1994 RomeAnushavan Sahakyan57 kg
1994 RomeAraik Baghdadyan62 kg
1994 RomeArayik Gevorgyan68 kg
1995 FribourgArayik Gevorgyan68 kg
1996 BudapestArmen Mkrtchyan48 kg
1996 BudapestArayik Gevorgyan68 kg
1997 WarsawArayik Gevorgyan69 kg
1998 BratislavaArayik Gevorgyan76 kg
2001 BudapestArmen Mkrtchyan54 kg
2003 RigaMahmed Aghaev84 kg
2004 AnkaraMartin Berberyan55 kg
2006 MoscowRuslan Kokaev74 kg
2006 MoscowVadim Laliev84 kg
2006 MoscowShamil Gitinov96 kg
2007 SofiaShamil Gitinov96 kg
2009 VilniusZhirayr Hovhannisyan66 kg
2009 VilniusEdgar Yenokyan96 kg
2009 VilniusRuslan Basiev120 kg
2011 DortmundMusa Murtazaliev74 kg
2012 BelgradeDavid Safaryan66 kg
2013 TbilisiDavid Safaryan66 kg
2013 TbilisiMusa Murtazaliev84 kg
2014 VantaaGarik Barseghyan57 kg
2021 SkopjeRazmik Papikyan61 kg
2014 VantaaMusa Murtazaliev86 kg
2017 Novi SadValodya Frangulyan61 kg
2017 Novi SadGrigor Grigoryan74 kg
2017 Novi SadLevan Berianidze125 kg
2019 BucharestArsen Harutyunyan61 kg
2020 RomeArsen Harutyunyan61 kg
2021 WarsawArman Andreasyan70 kg
2022 BudapestManvel Khndzrtsyan57 kg
2022 BudapestArsen Harutyunyan61 kg
2022 BudapestArman Andreasyan70 kg
2023 ZagrebArsen Harutyunyan61 kg
2023 ZagrebVazgen Tevanyan65 kg
2024 BucharestArsen Harutyunyan57 kg
2024 BucharestMezhlum Mezhlumyan61 kg
2024 BucharestArman Andreasyan70 kg

World Cup

See also: Wrestling World Cup.

Year PositionStyle Member athletes
2009 Clermont-FerrandGreco-Roman
2010 YerevanGreco-Roman55 kg: Roman Amoyan & Harutyun Hovhannisyan
60 kg: Artak Harutyunyan & Vahan Juharyan
66 kg: Arman Adikyan & Hovhannes Varderesyan
74 kg: Varsham Boranyan & Arsen Julfalakyan
84 kg: Denis Forov & Tigran Sahakyan
96 kg: Arman Geghamyan & Sargis Tonoyan
120 kg: Yury Patrikeyev & Vachik Yeghiazaryan

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Finney, Susan. The Revised Soviet Union. 1993. Good Apple. 9780866537384. 18.
  2. News: RA President met Rafael Martinetti. 8 October 2012. 31 October 2009. News.am.
  3. Web site: Physical Education & Sports In Armenia. Republic of Armenia Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. 21 August 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120310152841/http://msy.am/s_history.html. 10 March 2012.
  4. Book: Wolfgang Decker, Wolfgang x. Festschrift für Wolfgang Decker zum 65. Geburtstag.. 2007. Weidmann. Hildesheim. 9783615003406. 224.
  5. Book: Tyshler, edited by F.P Suslov, D.A.. Terminologii︠a︡ sporta : tolkovyĭ slovarʹ sportivnykh terminov : okolo 9500 terminov. 2001. SportAkademPress. Moscow. 5-8134-0047-8. 480. Кох (Kokh). ru.
  6. Book: Green. Thomas A.. Martial arts of the world : en encyclopedia. 2001. ABC-CLIO. Santa Barbara, Calif.. 9781576071502. 718.
  7. Book: Countries and Territories of the World: Volume II - Middle East & The Caucasus. 582.
  8. Book: Ispiryan, Mikayel. Մարզանունների բացատրական բառարան [Dictionary of Sports]. 1984. Hayastan. Yerevan. 68. hy.
  9. News: Mkrtchyan. Vadim. Кох по-прежнему без внимания [Kokh Federation President Arman Sedrakyan: 'Kokh still being ignored']]. 9 October 2012. 2 December 2008. Golos Armenii. ru. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130927213036/http://www.golos.am/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39749&Itemid=54. 27 September 2013.
  10. Web site: Veterans. Wrestling Federation of Armenia. 10 October 2012. dead. https://archive.today/20130114193134/http://www.wrestlingra.am/index.php?lang=en&go=veterans&mid=111. 14 January 2013.
  11. Web site: WFRA History. https://archive.today/20130114171501/http://www.wrestlingra.am/index.php?lang=en&go=wfra_history&mid=125. dead. 14 January 2013. Wrestling Federation of the Republic of Armenia. 7 October 2012.
  12. News: Սամվել Կարապետյան. "Ըմբշամարտը Հայաստանում լինելու է թիվ մեկ մարզաձեվը" [WFRA President: Wrestling will be number one sport in Armenia]]. 8 October 2012. 9 January 2009. Aravot. hy. dead. https://archive.today/20130117035428/http://www.armtown.com/news/am/arv/20090109/53653/. 17 January 2013.
  13. Web site: Հայաստանի Հանրապետությունում գործող ըմբշամարտի մարզադպրոցներ ըստ մարզերի [Operating Wrestling schools in Armenia by provinces]]. Wrestling Federation of Armenia. 8 October 2012. hy. dead. https://archive.today/20130114163426/http://www.wrestlingra.am/index.php?lang=am&go=sport_schools&mid=110. 14 January 2013.
  14. Web site: Սպորտային կազմակերպությունների գործունեությունը 2021 թվականին [Activities of sports organizations in 2021] ]. armstat.am . Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia . https://web.archive.org/web/20220809085401/https://armstat.am/file/article/sv_06_22a_5150.pdf . 9 August 2022.