Artur Aleksanyan has earned the first medal for Team Armenia at the 2009 European Junior Wrestling Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The European Junior Championships are under way in Tbilisi Georgia, and on the first day of competition by the Armenian Greco-Roman wrestling team Artur Aleksanyan was successful in winning a Bronze medal for Team Armenia. Competing in the 84kg weight category, Aleksanyan was able to defeat his first opponent from Croatia easily and repeated the same feat in the 1/8 round with a victory over his Bulgarian opponent. He would face a tough Russian opponent in the Quarterfinals but would prevail with a hard-fought 3-1 victory. Perhaps the Quarterfinal fight took a lot out of Aleksanyan as he would lose to the German opponent, the eventual Champion in the Semifinal by a 3-1 score. In the repechage round, for opponents who lost to the finalists of the weight category, Aleksanyan was able to overcome his Belarusian opponent by a 3-1 margin to earn Team Armenia the first Bronze at the tournament.

Three other wrestlers were in action in the Greco-Roman category today. Aleksan Mikaelyan in the 55kg category and Vahik Yeghiazaryan in the 120kg category were able to defeat their first opponents from Hungary and Belarus respectively, but would both fall in the next round to Georgian and Ukrainian opponents, with no chance at repechage since neither of the opponents made it to the final. Aram Julfalakyan in the 66kg category faced a stiff challenge in the first round and lost to the eventual Champion in the division from Finland. As a result, Julfalakyan had an opportunity to fight for another Bronze medal but would lose in the first repechage to his Hungarian opponent 3-0.

In tomorrow’s action Sargis Khachatryan (50kg,) Robert Hovhannisyan (60kg,) Rafik Manukyan (74kg,) and Eduard Soghomonyan (96kg) will round out the Greco-Roman action for Team Armenia.

Please visit the LIVE COVERAGE page for the Championships for the latest.

Source: Sporting Armenia

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Three other wrestlers were in action in the Greco-Roman category today. Aleksan Mikaelyan in the 55kg category and Vahik Yeghiazaryan in the 120kg category were able to defeat their first opponents from Hungary and Belarus respectively, but would both fall in the next round to Georgian and Ukrainian opponents, with no chance at repechage since neither of the opponents made it to the final. Aram Julfalakyan in the 66kg category faced a stiff challenge in the first round and lost to the eventual Champion in the division from Finland. As a result, Julfalakyan had an opportunity to fight for another Bronze medal but would lose in the first repechage to his Hungarian opponent 3-0.

In tomorrow’s action Sargis Khachatryan (50kg,) Robert Hovhannisyan (60kg,) Rafik Manukyan (74kg,) and Eduard Soghomonyan (96kg) will round out the Greco-Roman action for Team Armenia.

Please visit the LIVE COVERAGE page for the Championships for the latest.