Wrestling is a martial art and combat sport that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves different grappling-type techniques, such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins, and other grappling holds. Many different wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat sports, and military systems.
Greco-Roman, Graeco-Roman, or classic wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1904. This style of wrestling forbids holds below the waist, which is the main feature that differentiates it from freestyle wrestling. This restriction results in an emphasis on throws, because a wrestler cannot use trips to bring an opponent to the ground or hook/grab the opponent's leg to avoid being thrown.
Wrestling at the Olympic Games first appeared at the first modern Olympics, in the form of Greco-Roman wrestling, held in Athens in 1896. Wrestling would appear at every Summer Olympics held since then, with the exception of the 1900 Summer Olympics when wrestling did not appear on the program. Freestyle wrestling and weight classes both made their first appearance at the 1904 Summer Olympics. Women's freestyle wrestling competition was first held at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
The World Wrestling Championships are the Greco-Roman Wrestling and Freestyle Wrestling World Championships organized by United World Wrestling (UWW).
Rıza Kayaalp is a five time world champion and twelve time European champion Turkish wrestler competing in the 130 kg division of Greco-Roman wrestling. He won silver at the 2016 Summer Olympics and won bronze medals at the 2012 and 2020 Summer Olympics. He is a graduate of the Aksaray University Physical Education and Sports Academy and studies his master's degree at Bozok University.
Wrestling has deep historical roots in Armenia. 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.
Belarus competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. It was the nation's sixth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics in the post-Soviet era.
The U23 World Wrestling Championships are the Amateur Wrestling World Championship for athletes under 23 years old and is organized by United World Wrestling. The tournament began in 2017.
The Pan American Wrestling Championships is the continental wrestling championships for nations from North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Three wrestling styles, recognized internationally by UWW, have been contested annually since the inception, namely: Greco-Roman, freestyle and Sambo wrestling. Since 1997, women's freestyle has also been contested along with the mentioned wrestling styles.
Anastasia Nichita is a Moldovan freestyle wrestler. She won the silver medal in the women's 57 kg event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. She won the gold medal in the 59 kg event at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia. She is a three-time gold medalist in the 59 kg event at the European Wrestling Championships.
The African Wrestling Championships are amateur wrestling championships. Events are held in men's freestyle wrestling, men's Greco-Roman wrestling and women's freestyle wrestling. In 1996 a tournament for women was held for the first time.
Alina Hrushyna-Akobiia is a Ukrainian freestyle wrestler. She won one of the bronze medals in the 57 kg event at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia. She is a four-time medalist, including two gold medals, at the European Wrestling Championships. Hrushyna represented Ukraine at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
Arvi Martin Savolainen is a Finnish Greco-Roman wrestler. He won the silver medal in the 97 kg event at the 2022 European Wrestling Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. He represented Finland at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
Kiryl Maskevich is a Belarusian Greco-Roman wrestler. He is a silver medalist at both the World Wrestling Championships and the European Wrestling Championships. He also represented Belarus at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan in the men's 87 kg event.
The World Junior Wrestling Championships (U20) is the main wrestling championships in the Junior age category, organised by United World Wrestling (UWW). This event was held twice in 1979 and 1980.
The 57th Dan Kolov & Nikola Petrov Tournament, was a sport wrestling event held in Ruse, Bulgaria between 28 February-3 March 2019. It was held as the fourth of the ranking series of United World Wrestling.
Dávid Losonczi is a Hungarian Greco-Roman wrestler. He won the gold medal in the 87 kg event at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia.
The wrestling competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were held from 5 to 11 August at Grand Palais Éphémère in Champ de Mars. 288 wrestlers competed across 18 weight categories at these Games. The men wrestled against each other in both freestyle and Greco-Roman events, whereas the women only participated in the freestyle wrestling, with 18 gold medals awarded. Wrestling has been contested at every modern Summer Olympic Games, except Paris 1900.
Austria-Hungary 
Russian Empire 
Netherlands 
Denmark 
Bohemia 
German Empire 
Austria 
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