Oyan Nazariani, head coach of Azerbaijan’s national beach wrestling team, has been named the 2026 Beach Wrestling Coach of the Year by United World Wrestling (UWW).
The award was presented during the Beach Wrestling World Series Final in Katerini, Greece, held on September 26–27. Pedro Silva, President of the UWW Beach Wrestling Committee, presented Nazariani with the special award.
The recognition capped a historic season for Azerbaijan. At the Katerini final, the team secured three gold and two bronze medals, finishing first in the team standings.
Across the five-stage season, Vusal Aliyev and Ashraf Ashirov were crowned world champions, while Rubail Ibrahimli, Sahib Dadashov and Jamal Feyziyev finished third overall in their respective weight categories. Azerbaijan also claimed its first senior team world title in beach wrestling.
Nazariani described the coaching award as recognition of a collective effort. He acknowledged the contributions of the competing athletes, other national team members involved in preparations, national and personal coaches, and the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation.
Having won a world title as an athlete in 2019, Nazariani now marks another significant milestone in his coaching career. The team’s achievements under his leadership continue to strengthen Azerbaijan’s position in international beach wrestling.
Pedro Silva presents Oyan Nazariani with the 2026 Beach Wrestling Coach of the Year award.
