Tajikistan has secured its first medal at the U17 World Wrestling Championships currently underway in Athens, Greece — a high-profile international competition that gathers the world’s top young wrestlers.
Mahdi Barotov earned a bronze medal in the Greco-Roman 55 kg weight class, an official source within the Wrestling Federation of Tajikistan told Asia-Plus. This year, Tajikistan is represented by six athletes at the championship: five in Greco-Roman wrestling and one in freestyle.
Barotov's path to the podium was marked by several intense matches, but his most dramatic bout came in the bronze medal showdown against Azerbaijan's Nihat Bahmanov — a technically skilled and aggressive opponent.
Demonstrating composure, resilience, and tactical sharpness, Barotov defeated Bahmanov with a final score of 9–5, earning a hard-fought victory for his country.
The full roster of Tajikistan’s Greco-Roman wrestling team includes Mahdi Barotov (55 kg), Amir Obidov (60 kg), Shohijahon Boboyev (65 kg), Alisher Ruzimadov (71 kg), and Muhammad Sultonzoda (80 kg). In freestyle wrestling, Ayub Bozorzoda is competing in the 71 kg category.
The championship is organized by United World Wrestling (UWW), the global governing body for the sport. UWW has also announced the host cities and dates for the upcoming 2025 World Championships in various wrestling disciplines.
The senior-level World Championships are set to take place in Zagreb, Croatia, from September 13 to 21. The U20 World Championships will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, from August 18 to 24, while the youth-level competition is scheduled for October 20 to 26 in Novi Sad, Serbia.
