Artur Aleksanyan: To win, you have to be from Russia (PHOTOS)

Gold, silver and bronze medalist of the Olympic Games, world’s multiple and Europe’s five-time champion, winner of the European Games Artur Aleksanyan (97 kg) refused to hang the silver medal over his neck during the award ceremony after being defeated in the final of the Greco-Roman wrestling championship at the 32^nd Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“To win, you have to be from Russia,” the wrestler from Armenia’s Gyumri said while passing through the mixed zone for reporters after the match was over, Sportbox reports.

In the final, Aleksanyan was defeated by world’s and Europe’s two-time champion, 28-year-old Russian wrestler Musa Evloev 1-5. Right from the start, one could notice that Armenia’s representative was feeling pain after suffering a left leg muscle injury that he had received during the previous match.

At Tokyo 2020, in the 1/8 final Aleksanyan began by defeating 25-year-old Kyrgyz wrestler Uzur Juzhupbekov 4-1, and in the second match, he defeated Finnish wrestler Arvi Savolainen 5-1. In the semi-final, he defeated Iranian Mohamadhadi Saravi 4-1, and it was during this match that he received a leg muscle injury.

Armenia’s Greco-Roman wrestling team ended its performance at Tokyo 2020 with 1 silver medal. After starting with victories, Armen Melikyan (60 kg) and Karen Aslanyan (67 kg) were defeated in the quarter-final and were left behind, while Karapet Chalyan (77 kg) was defeated during the match for the bronze medal.

Armenia will have 2 participants during the freestyle wrestling tournament, including Arsen Harutyunyan (57 kg) and Vazgen Tevanyan (65 kg).

Photos: Reuters