Sambo Federation of Armenia

National types of wrestling, being the bases of Sambo, have roots in the distant past. One of them is an Armenian national wrestling called Koch possessing its own rules and particularities being accompanied by music trio (zurna, duduk, deol). Even in ancient times a major different types of wrestling had a special place. 

Art history sources kept the description of methods of the Armenian national wrestling Koch that places it in close quarters with Pankration, a type of wrestling and hand-to-hand fight, included into the programme of the ХХХΙΙΙ Olympics in 648 BC.  Names of kings of Antic Armenia Trdat and Varasdat are very well-known as invincible strategists, who regularly participated and won the Olympic Games. For the First time in history Trdat III was the winner in the 265th Olympics BC, and he gained the crown of Armenia for that. As for Varasdat became the winner in the 291st Olympics BC. In the sources mentioned above we can find the name of Smbat Bagratuni who was unrivalled on the arenas of Byzantine Empire, he won fights against lions, bears and bulls. 

Modern Armenia Sambo School was created on the base of national wrestling Khoh in 50th years of the former century. A great enthusiast that organised the research activity on reconstruction of ancient rules, traditions and custom of national wrestling in the regions and cities of the Republic was Georgi Tumanian, academician, professor, PhD in pedagogics, Honoured coach of the Armenian SSR, honoured worker of physical culture and Sports in Russia.

Truly a real maturity to the Armenian competitors came in 70-80s, with the emergence of a number of highly technical masters of the mat, both among men and women.  In the international arena are well-known names of the first world champion in Sambo and Wrestling from Armenia who achieved a very strong results in Sambo wrestling.

Today Armenia's national team on the international arena is represented by World and European champions, honored master of sports, winners of World and European championships who honourably picked up the baton from the elders.