Turkmen freestyle wrestler Alp Arslan Begenjov won a bronze medal at the U20 World Junior Championships in Bratislava (Slovakia). A third-year student at the Turkmen State Institute of Finance competed in the 86 kg weight category, in which 25 athletes vied for medals, according to the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’.

Begenjov contested five bouts and secured four victories. In his first three bouts, he defeated Bolati Na Ertai of China 10–0, Yahia Eliwa of Egypt 16–5 and Mahammad Abaszada of Azerbaijan 14–1. In the semi-final, the Turkmen athlete lost to Russia’s Ahmad Mukutov 4–8. In the bronze medal match, Begenjov defeated Turkey’s Sefa Cesur 9–2.

The world champion was the American Aeoden Sinclair, who defeated Ahmad Mukutov 8–4 in the final. The second bronze medal in the under-86kg category was won by the Japanese athlete Natsura Okazawa.

After the medal ceremony, Begenjov thanked the fans for their support.