The Tragic Loss of Nugzari Tsurtsumia: A Wrestling Star Gone Too Soon

On July 3, the wrestling world was struck by tragedy when Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler Nugzari Tsurtsumia was found dead in his home in Khobi, Georgia. Reports from lelo.ge suggest the cause of death was suicide. The 2019 world champion, Tsurtsumia was renowned for his exceptional skills and explosive wrestling style, particularly in the non-Olympic 55 kg category.

Tsurtsumia’s career was marked by significant achievements. He captured gold at the 2019 World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, triumphing over the home crowd favorite, Khorlan Zhakansha, in the final.

His prowess on the mat earned him silver medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, as well as at the 2022 European Championships, where he narrowly lost to Azerbaijan’s Eldaniz Azizli on each occasion. Additionally, Tsurtsumia was a two-time World and three-time European bronze medalist.

Despite his success, recent years had been challenging for Tsurtsumia. He finished fifth at the 2024 European Championships, and his last appearance was at the Polyak Imre and Varga Janos Memorial Tournament in Budapest, where he secured a third-place finish. His impressive technical skills and passion for wrestling made him a standout talent of his generation.

However, outside of the wrestling arena, Tsurtsumia faced personal hardships. The local press reported that he struggled with the deaths of his parents, who passed away within two months of each other in 2023. This profound loss was compounded by financial difficulties, creating a challenging situation for the wrestler.

In response to Tsurtsumia’s untimely death, the Georgian National Olympic Committee (GNOC) expressed deep condolences to his family, the Georgian Wrestling Federation, and the wider Georgian sporting community. “Nugzari Tsurtsumia always kept our country’s name high on the world stage and had numerous important victories,” the GNOC stated.

United World Wrestling also mourned the loss, highlighting Tsurtsumia’s incredible talent and expressing sympathy for his family during this difficult time. “United World Wrestling, Georgian Wrestling Federation, and the wrestling community mourn the death of an incredible talent. Their thoughts are with the Tsurtsumia family in their time of grief,” read their statement.

The wrestling world has lost a remarkable athlete whose contributions to the sport and his country’s pride will not be forgotten. Tsurtsumia’s legacy will live on in the memories of his victories and the impact he had on those who watched him compete.