Artur Aleksanyan

Artur Aleksanyan was born on October 21, 1991, in Gyumri, Armenia. He began his Greco-Roman wrestling training in 2000 under the guidance of his father, Gevorg Aleksanyan, who is an honored coach in Armenia. Aleksanyan quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a Junior World Champion in the 84 kg category in 2010. By 2011, he transitioned to the senior level, competing in the 96 kg weight class and winning the Armenian Championship. His international senior career began with a silver medal at the 2011 European Wrestling Championships in Dortmund. The following year, he secured his first European gold medal at the 2012 European Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, maintaining an impressive record of only one point conceded across five matches. Later in 2012, at the London Summer Olympics, Aleksanyan earned a bronze medal, defeating Daigoro Timoncini, Cenk Ildem, and Yunior Estrada, following a loss to eventual champion Ghasem Rezaei. This marked his first Olympic medal.

Aleksanyan continued to dominate, winning his second European title at the 2013 European Wrestling Championships in Tbilisi. In late 2013, he claimed a silver medal at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest. The year 2014 was particularly successful, as he won his third European title in Vantaa and his first Senior World Championship in Tashkent, where he notably avenged his Olympic loss to Ghasem Rezaei in the semifinals and defeated Oliver Hassler in the final. His sustained excellence led to him being voted the Armenian Athlete of the Year in both 2014 and 2015. He repeated his World Championship success in 2015 in Las Vegas, once again defeating Rezaei in the final. In 2016, Aleksanyan competed in his second Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, winning the gold medal in the 98 kg category. He secured victories over Daigoro Timoncini, Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu, Cenk Ildem, and Yasmany Lugo. This victory made him the second Olympic gold medalist for independent Armenia and the most decorated Olympian from the country at that time. He also served as Armenia’s flag bearer at the closing ceremony. He further solidified his legacy by winning his third World Championship in 2017 in Paris and his fourth in 2022 in Belgrade.

Artur Aleksanyan has accumulated an impressive medal count throughout his career, including one Olympic gold, two Olympic silvers, and one Olympic bronze. He holds four World Championship gold medals and three silvers. In European competitions, he has earned seven gold medals, two silvers, and one bronze. His accomplishments extend to the European Games, where he won a gold medal in 2019. Beyond his athletic achievements, Aleksanyan is also recognized for his civic engagement. He was appointed a UNICEF Armenia Ambassador in November 2019, advocating for healthy lifestyles and nutrition among children. He graduated from the Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute and continues to be coached by his father, Gevorg Aleksanyan. He was awarded the Khorenatsi medal in 2012, the “For Merit” 1st degree medal in 2014, and the “For Service to Fatherland” 2nd degree medal in 2015. In October 2016, he was granted honorary citizenship of Yerevan.