The United World Wrestling (UWW) has awarded Malkhas Amoyan the Comeback of the Year title for 2025. Competing in the 77 kg Greco-Roman category, the Armenian wrestler is a bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics, a two-time world champion, and four-time European champion, reports Panorama.am .
UWW highlighted Amoyan’s impressive journey in a video published on its Facebook page, emphasizing the challenges he faced following his 2021 world title win in Oslo at 72 kg. His transition to 77 kg brought difficulties, limiting him to bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, as well as the 2024 Olympics.
The year 2025 marked a breakthrough. At the World Championships in Zagreb, the 26-year-old delivered the best performance of his career. In the final, he defeated reigning Olympic champion Nao Kusaka of Japan 9–1, claiming the gold and becoming Olympic champion in Paris.
“I became world champion in 2021 [at 72 kg], but I really wanted to win at 77 kg. I struggled with injuries for two years, and nothing was going right. Fortunately, at this World Championships, I was ready, mentally, physically, and functionally, and by God’s grace I won and became a two-time world champion,” said Amoyan.
