After competing through the difficult conditions on Saturday, the athletes returned to a beautiful sunny Paralia Katerini for the fifth and final stop of the 2026 Beach Wrestling World Series. With a record-breaking 97 senior athletes from 18 nations taking part, everything came down to one final day.

There were Katerini medals to be won, quadruple ranking points on offer and, above all, eight World Championship crowns waiting to find their owners. Some champions successfully defended their place at the top. Others reclaimed old crowns. And for some of Beach Wrestling's biggest names, another chapter was added to already impressive legacies.

Rysova wins Katerini, Rotaru takes the crown
Women's 50kg perfectly demonstrated the difference between winning the final stop and winning across an entire season. Diana Rysova (UKR) produced the performance when it mattered in Katerini, defeating Ana Maria Rotaru (ROU) in the final to take gold. But Rotaru's work across the full season paid off when the final ranking points were counted. The Romanian was coronated 2026 World Champion, with Rysova taking second overall and Viktoriia Slobodeniuk (UKR) third.

Boruta takes back his crown
Oleksii Boruta (UKR) had been one of the dominant figures of the 2026 season long before arriving in Greece. Victories in Da Nang, Poreč and Baku had put the Ukrainian firmly in contention for the title, and he finished the job in Katerini. Boruta defeated fellow Ukrainian Ivan Semenov in the final to take another World Series gold and regain the World Championship crown he last held in 2024. Semenov's late-season form carried him all the way to second overall, with Azerbaijan's Rubail Ibrahimli completing the World Championship podium.

Moskalova finishes the job
Oksana Moskalova (UKR) entered Katerini leading the women's 60kg standings after a superb season and made absolutely certain nobody would take the crown away from her. The Ukrainian defeated compatriot Sofiia Kushnir in the Katerini final, adding another gold medal and the maximum ranking points to her tally. More importantly, it confirmed Moskalova as the 2026 World Champion. Kushnir finished second overall, while 2025 World Champion Anastasiya Kravchenko completed an all-Ukrainian World Championship podium in third.

Aliyev goes back-to-back
Men's 80kg had produced one of the season's most fascinating contests between Vusal Aliyev (AZE) and Luka Chkhitunidze (GEO). And it was Aliyev who had the final say. The Azerbaijani defeated Chkhitunidze in the Katerini final, collecting the maximum ranking points and securing his second consecutive World Championship after first climbing to the top of the world in 2025. Chkhitunidze finished second overall, with fellow Azerbaijani Sahib Dadashov taking third. Chkhitunidze did, however, leave Katerini with individual recognition after being named the Men's Top Technique winner for the final stop.

Vovchak takes Katerini gold, Nikitinska takes the world crown
Women's 70kg provided another example of why every point accumulated throughout the World Series matters. Romana Vovchak (UKR) was outstanding in Katerini, defeating Halyna Oleksiivska (UKR) to take the final World Series gold of 2026. Olena Nikitinska (UKR), meanwhile, recovered from her opening-day defeat to secure bronze. But three consecutive World Series victories earlier in the season had given Nikitinska the foundation she needed. When all the points were counted, the Ukrainian was still on top. Nikitinska was coronated 2026 World Champion, Oleksiivska finished second and Katerini winner Vovchak took third to complete another Ukrainian clean sweep.

Ashirov takes his opportunity
Few divisions demonstrated the importance of Katerini's quadruple ranking points better than men's 90kg. Ashraf Ashirov (AZE) arrived in Greece with an opportunity to transform the standings and took full advantage. The Azerbaijani defeated Iuza Tsertsvadze (GEO) in the gold-medal contest to take the Katerini title and its huge 40,000-point reward. It was enough to propel Ashirov to the top of the final standings and the 2026 World Championship. Tsertsvadze finished second both in Katerini and overall, while Tornike Tulashvili (GEO) took bronze at the stop and third in the World Championship.

Four in a row for Bommarito
Eliana Bommarito (USA) arrived in Katerini chasing history. World Champion in 2023, 2024 and 2025, the American had the opportunity to make it four consecutive crowns on the Greek sand. Bommarito delivered. She defeated Daria Konstantynova (UKR) in the Katerini final to win the final stop of the season and accumulated enough points to be coronated World Champion for an incredible fourth consecutive year. Four years. Four World Championships.
Home favourite Stefania Zacheila (GRE) produced an excellent season to finish second in the overall standings, while Konstantynova took third.

Kordzaia makes it four
The men's +90kg division provided one final reminder that winning Katerini and winning the World Championship were two very different things. Jamal Feyziyev (AZE) took the Katerini victory, with Mamuka Kordzaia (GEO) second and Vazha Daiauri (UKR) third. But Kordzaia had built his challenge across the entire season, and the points accumulated along the way proved enough to put the Georgian back on top of the world. It is the fourth World Championship of Kordzaia's career, adding 2026 to his titles from 2021, 2024 and 2025. Even more impressively, the last three have come consecutively. Daiauri finished the season second overall, with Katerini winner Feyziyev climbing to third.

Individual honours
There was further recognition once the final bouts had been completed.
Slovenia's Sara Trbulin was named the Women's Top Technique winner for Katerini, while Georgia's Luka Chkhitunidze collected the Men's Top Technique award.
Azerbaijan's Oyan Nazariani was also recognised as Coach of the Year after another hugely successful season for the Azerbaijani team.

Results Katerini Beach Wrestling World Series
Women
50 kg
1- Diana RYSOVA (UKR)
2- Ana Maria ROTARU (ROU)
3- Viktoriia SLOBODENIUK (UKR)

60 kg
1- Oksana MOSKALOVA (UKR)
2- Sofiia KUSHNIR (UKR)
3- Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)

70 kg
1- Romana VOVCHAK (UKR)
2- Halyna OLEKSIIVSKA (UKR)
3- Olena NIKITINSKA (UKR)

+70 kg
1- Eliana BOMMARITO (USA)
2- Daria KONSTANTYNOVA (UKR)
3- Stefania ZACHEILA (GRE)

Men
70 kg
1- Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
2- Ivan SEMENOV (UKR)
3- Rubail IBRAHIMLI (AZE)

80 kg
1- Vusal ALIYEV (AZE)
2- Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO)
3- Sahib DADASHOV (AZE)

90 kg
1- Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
2- Iuza TSERTSVADZE (GEO)
3- Tornike TULASHVILI (GEO)

+90 kg
1- Jamal FEYZIYEV (AZE)
2- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO)
3- Vazha DAIAURI (UKR)

Women’s Top Technique Winner – Sara Trbulin, SLO 70 kg
Men’s Top Technique Winner – Luka Chkhitunidze, GEO 80 kg

2026 Beach Wrestling World Championship
Women
50 kg
1- Ana Maria ROTARU (ROU)
2- Diana RYSOVA (UKR)
3- Viktoriia SLOBODENIUK (UKR)

60 kg
1- Oksana MOSKALOVA (UKR)
2- Sofiia KUSHNIR (UKR)
3- Anastasiya KRAVCHENKO (UKR)

70 kg
1- Olena NIKITINSKA (UKR)
2- Halyna OLEKSIIVSKA (UKR)
3- Romana VOVCHAK (UKR)

+70 kg
1- Eliana BOMMARITO (USA)
2- Stefania ZACHEILA (GRE)
3- Daria KONSTANTYNOVA (UKR)

Men
70 kg
1- Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
2- Ivan SEMENOV (UKR)
3- Rubail IBRAHIMLI (AZE)

80 kg
1- Vusal ALIYEV (AZE)
2- Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO)
3- Sahib DADASHOV (AZE)

90 kg
1- Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
2- Iuza TSERTSVADZE (GEO)
3- Tornike TULASHVILI (GEO)

+90 kg
1- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO)
2- Vazha DAIAURI (UKR)
3- Jamal FEYZIYEV (AZE)

Find the complete results here.

Until next year...
And with that, the sand settles on another Beach Wrestling World Series season.
From Da Nang to Poreč, Batumi to Baku and finally Katerini, 2026 has delivered new destinations, huge contests, emerging names, established champions and another year of unforgettable moments on the sand.

Most importantly, a huge thank you goes to everyone who has followed the World Series throughout the year.
Whether watching the streams, following the results, liking, sharing, commenting or engaging with Beach Wrestling across the website and social media, that support has played a huge part in another memorable season.

The athletes have once again shown exactly why Beach Wrestling continues to grow, delivering action, drama and incredible moments from the opening stop to the final grains of sand in Katerini.

The 2026 kings and queens of the sand have been coronated.
The countdown to 2027 starts now.
Bigger. Better. See you on the sand.