Giorgos Kougioumtzidis has returned Greece to the top of the podium at a major wrestling event. The 24-year-old claimed the gold medal in the men’s freestyle 79kg division at the World Wrestling Championships held in Zagreb.
In the final, Kougioumtzidis secured a narrow 3–2 victory over Levi Haines of the United States, a 21-year-old rising star in American wrestling.
The Greek champion delivered a dominant performance throughout the tournament. Until the semifinals, none of his opponents managed to score against him, with Kougioumtzidis holding an impressive 29–0 record.
In the semifinal clash, he faced Iran’s Mohammad Nokhodi, who eventually won bronze. Nokhodi became the first wrestler to take points from Kougioumtzidis, but the Greek competitor still prevailed convincingly with an 8–3 scoreline.
With this gold medal, Kougioumtzidis cements his place among the world’s elite and gives Greek wrestling another proud moment on the international stage.
