Head coach of the Armenia Greco-Roman wrestling team Levon Julfalakyan summed up the European Championship in Bucharest in a press conference. In the Romanian capital Karen Aslanyan (67 kg) and Arsen Julfalakyan (77 kg) had become bronze medalists.

“Our team has started the year with all planned training camps and international tournaments and in the European Championship we performed with 10 participants. Karen Aslanyan and Arsen Julfalakyan spent fine bouts and there were expectations they would reach the finals but there were some obstacles. There were very suspicious moments in favor of our opponents in both bouts. Many specialists noted there were indeed refereeing mistakes. We also fought for bronze medals at 63, 72 and 87 kg weight classes but Slavik Galstyan, Hrant Kalachyan and Maksim Manukyan suffered defeats.

We appealed during Arsen Julfalakyan’s and the German wrestler’s bout and everyone saw that the German was obviously putting out his leg but the point was given not to Arsen but to the opponent. I’d like to draw attention to the fact that the head of the refereeing staff of the United Wrestling Federation is a German. It is very important Arsen could win a medal in an official tournament after a two-year break. Everyone was amazed and surprised at his performance. I was sure he would win 8:0 Germany’s Russian wrestler.

I have mentioned previously the World Championship to be held in Kazakhstan in September is more important for us because there we can obtain Olympic qualifications. The qualifications will be awarded in 6 weight classes and our main goal is to prepare well for the World Championship.

I’m not satisfied with Rudik Mkrtchyan’s, Gevorg Gharibyan’s, Sargis Kocharyan’s and David Ovasapyan’s performances. That gives them a reason to think. David Ovasapyan is still young and makes his first steps in the senior team but the performances of the rest three wrestlers don’t please me as their capacities were higher. I’m displeased with their bouts. There are loses after which there can be given a good assessment but not in this case. In those three weight classes our wrestlers fought very badly. They all are promising wrestlers and still have opportunity to grow.

From May 9 we’ll start preparing for the European Games and the World Championship. From May 9-23 we will spend training camps with the Bulgaria and Switzerland teams in Olympavan. Afterwards some of our wrestlers will join an international tournament in Kazakhstan. The next training camp in Yerevan will be held in June and then we will leave for the European Games. We also have international tournaments in Tbilisi, Minsk, Poland and Germany. Before the World Championship the penultimate training camp will be conducted in Minsk and the last one - in Yerevan.
Karapet Chalyan’s injury is very serious. Doctors hope there will be no need of operation. It will be clear after the medical examination. If Karapet Chalyan has no health problems he is our team’s full member, an athlete with great potential,” noted Levon Julfalakyan.

Lets us recall Rudik Mkrtchyan (55 kg), Gevorg Gharibyan (60 kg), Slavik Galstyan (63 kg), Hrant Kalachyan (72 kg), Sargis Kocharyan (82 kg), Maksim Manukyan (87 kg), Arthur Shahinyan (97 kg) and David Ovasapyan (130 kg) who didn’t win medals were also included in the Armenia team at the European Championship.