Georgia expert Phridon Chkhartishvili of the Vietnam national wrestling team.
 

The expert died of a heart attack after training his students at Hanoi National Sports Training Center on March 19 morning, said Nguyen Manh Hung, director of the centre, quoting conclusions from doctors.

His passing is a great loss to Vietnamese wrestlers as well as Vietnamese sport as the 21st SEA Games is drawing near, said Hung.

Chkhartishvili has been with the Vietnam wrestling team since 1998. He has trained and helped many local wrestlers win medals at international competitions, including a bronze clinched by Nguyen Thi Lua at the 2010 ASIAD Games.

Chkhartishvili said he considers Vietnam as his second homeland and has celebrated the traditional lunar New Year in Vietnam for many years.

The National Sports Administration is working alongside relevant agencies to to contact the family and carry out post-mortem procedures to bring the deceased back to his hometown in Georgia.

Source: VOV