Armenia’s Vazgen Tevanyan Advances to World Wrestling Championships Final

ASTANA – Armenian freestyle wrestler Vazgen Tevanyan has secured a place in the final of the 2026 World Wrestling Championships following an impressive series of victories in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Competing in the men’s 65 kg category, the 26-year-old Armenian athlete recorded four consecutive victories on October 29, overcoming several formidable opponents to reach the gold-medal match.

Tevanyan opened his campaign with a convincing 9–3 victory over Mongolia’s Zeneemeder Byambasuren before defeating Kazakhstan’s Ossimzhan Dastanbek 2–1 in the round of 16.

His most remarkable performance came in the quarterfinals, where he defeated Iran’s Rahman Amouzad Khalili, a two-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist, by a narrow 3–2 margin.

Tevanyan then overcame Shamil Mamedov, representing Bulgaria, in the semifinals to secure his place among the championship’s finalists.

He will face American wrestler Bo Bassett in the gold-medal match scheduled for October 30.

Tevanyan is already among Armenia’s most accomplished freestyle wrestlers, having won the European championship in 2023 and a bronze medal at that year’s World Championships.

His latest achievement continues a successful week for Armenian wrestling, following Karen Aslanyan’s world championship gold medal earlier in the competition.

With another medal assured and the world title now within reach, Tevanyan has given Armenian sports fans another reason to celebrate the country’s growing presence on the international wrestling stage.