YEREVAN—Armenia’s national team of Greco-Roman wrestlers returned home Monday with two gold medals from the World Wrestling Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

At Zvartnots Airport, the Armenian athletes were welcomed by a huge crowd of fans. Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Gabriel Ghazaryan was also there to greet the champions.

Arsen Julfalakyan (75 kg) beat Croatia’s Neven Jugai (4 – 0) to win a gold medal at the World Wrestling Championships.

Three-time European Champion Artur Aleksanyan (98 kg) brought Armenia another gold medal, beating Germany’s Oliver Hassler in the final.

Aleksanyan received a hero’s welcome upon arriving back in his native city of Gyumri on Monday.

First, hundreds of Gyumri residents welcomed him at Gyumri’s Shirak International Airport and, subsequently, he took an honor tour of the city.

Accompanied by Gyumri Mayor Samvel Balasanyan, Aleksanyan also prayed at the Surb Astvatsatsin (St. Mary’s) Church, and then joined his fellow Gyumri residents at the city’s central square, where they were celebrating his triumph.

This was 22-year-old three-time European champion Artur Aleksanyan’s first victory in the Wrestling World Championships. And during the post-gold-medal-match interview, Aleksanyan stated that, now, his dream is Olympic gold.