Kalmyk wrestler Ayrat Lidzhiev, a pupil of the T. L. Baldashinov Republican Sports School of Olympic Reserve for Wrestling, won bronze at the international youth Greco-Roman wrestling tournament "Strength of Traditions – 2026," which concluded on October 24, 2026, in Novosibirsk. He competed in the under-51 kg category.
Lidzhiev won several matches en route to the medal round, including victories over Edgar Sherstobitov of Saint Petersburg (6:0) and Rollan Kim of Kazakhstan (4:1). After a semifinal loss, he defeated Saidamir Alimardonov of Krasnoyarsk Territory in the bronze-medal match. Another Kalmyk athlete representing Buryatia, Damdin Mandzhiev, also won bronze in the under-110 kg category. The story appeared around October 25, 2026.