Greco-Roman wrestling
Style of amateur wrestling that forbids holds below the waist
古典式摔跤 · グレコローマン・レスリング · 그레코로만 레슬링
- Country of origin
- Ancient Greece
- Type
- amateur wrestling, wrestling style, Olympic sport
- Sport
- wrestling
Greco-Roman (American English) (spelled Graeco- or Græco- in British English) or classic wrestling (European English) is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been part of every summer Olympic held since 1904. It is one of the two forms of wrestling contested at the Olympics, the other being freestyle wrestling.
Greco-Roman wrestling forbids holds below the waist, which is the main feature that differentiates it from freestyle wrestling. This restriction results in an emphasis on throws, because a wrestler cannot use trips to bring an opponent to the ground or hook/grab the opponent's leg to avoid being thrown.
Greco-Roman wrestling is one of several forms of amateur competitive wrestling practiced internationally. Other wrestling disciplines sanctioned by United World Wrestling include freestyle wrestling, grappling (submission wrestling), pankration, Alysh (belt wrestling), Pahlavani wrestling, and beach wrestling.
Notable Greco-Roman wrestling athletes and practitioners
- Lino Ventura Italy
- Mijaín López Cuba
- Ivan Poddubny Russian Empire
- Zhan Beleniuk Ukraine
- Rıza Kayaalp Turkey
- Roman Vlasov Russia
- Navid Afkari Iran
- Rafig Huseynov Azerbaijan
- Musa Evloev Russia
- Georgios Tsitas Greece
- Rustam Kazakov Soviet Union
- Hamza Yerlikaya Turkey
- Islambek Albiev Russia
- Myles Amine United States
- Zurabi Datunashvili Georgia
- Farid Mansurov Azerbaijan
- Davor Štefanek Serbia
- Yury Patrikeyev Armenia
- Akzhol Makhmudov Kyrgyzstan
- Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Soviet Union
- Ara Abrahamian Sweden
- Nazyr Mankiev Russia
- Bilyal Makhov Russia
- Voldemar Väli Sweden
- Frank Andersson Sweden
- Javid Hamzatau Belarus
- Viktor Lőrincz Hungary
- Shinobu Ōta Japan
- Oskari Friman Russian Empire
- Zholaman Sharshenbekov Kyrgyzstan
- Richárd Weisz Hungary
- Zafar Guliyev Russia
- Aslanbek Khushtov Russia
- Elmurat Tasmuradov Uzbekistan
- Malkhas Amoyan Armenia
- Aleksandr Dokturishvili Georgia
517 people in this reference practise Greco-Roman wrestling.
Greco-Roman wrestling competitions
- 2023 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 60 kg
- 2023 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 87 kg
- 2023 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 55 kg
- 2023 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 77 kg
- 2023 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 72 kg
- 2021 World Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 130 kg
- 2020 European Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 63 kg
- wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 59 kg
- wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 85 kg
- wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 98 kg
- wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 130 kg
- wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 66 kg
- wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 120 kg
- wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 96 kg
- wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 60 kg
- wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 55 kg
- wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 84 kg
- wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 66 kg
- wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 120 kg
- wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 57 kg
- wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 90 kg
- wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 74 kg
- wrestling at the 1980 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 74 kg
- wrestling at the 1976 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 74 kg
31 competitions in total.
Rules, ranks and training
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q389654 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.