From December 5th to 7th, the Russian Cup in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling was held on the mats of the Vega sports complex in Berdsk (Novosibirsk region). This tournament was a significant event for deaf athletes, being held for the first time beyond the Ural Mountains in Siberia.

The opening ceremony warmly welcomed participants and guests with speeches from Marina Kurnosova, Deputy Minister of Physical Culture and Sports of the Novosibirsk Region; Sergey Syomka, President of the regional Sports Wrestling Federation; Dmitry Sedov, Director of the Center for Adaptive Physical Culture and Sports; as well as Honored Master of Sports of Russia Daniil Ivanov — a two-time Deaflympic medalist (2005, 2009) and multiple champion of Russia, Europe, and the world in Greco-Roman wrestling, who is also the senior coach of the Russian national Greco-Roman wrestling team. The event was supported by experienced sign language interpreters.

Marina Kurnosova noted that this tournament is not only an impressive sports festival but also an important social project.

— This is another step towards equal opportunities and recognition of sporting talent, regardless of health characteristics, said the Deputy Minister. — May the mat be a place of strength, and wrestling a celebration of skill! I wish everyone health, luck, and unforgettable moments!

— Attracting major competitions to our region only promotes the development and growing popularity of physical culture and sports among different population groups, including people with hearing impairments, said Dmitry Sedov, Director of the Center for Adaptive Physical Culture and Sports. — For our special athletes, we strive to create all the conditions so that people feel comfortable — both in sports arenas and in society. The Russian Cup in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling is a new milestone in our history. We will work to ensure that events like this, which promote both social adaptation and the growth of sports mastery among participants, become more frequent and their quality even higher.

In the Greco-Roman wrestling competitions, 42 athletes from 19 regions competed across ten weight categories from 55 to 130 kg. The team from Moscow took first place, the team from Vladimir came second, and wrestlers from Novosibirsk finished third.

In freestyle wrestling, 59 athletes from 14 regions competed in categories from 57 to 125 kg. Wrestlers from Dagestan took the leading positions, participants from Tuva came second, and wrestlers from Buryatia finished third.

Beyond determining the winners, the tournament was an important step in identifying candidates for the national teams and selecting athletes for preparation towards international competitions.

ALL RESULTS FOR GRECO-ROMAN AND FREESTYLE WRESTLING - (click)

Daniil Ivanov, senior coach of the Russian national Greco-Roman wrestling team:

— At this tournament, which sums up the outgoing sports year that was rich in various events, including the recently concluded Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo, the athletes, inspired by the victories of our Deaflympians, showed their strong-willed qualities. They displayed worthy mastery, honed during past training camps, defended the honor of their regions, and demonstrated readiness to conquer the next planned peaks.

PHOTO ALBUM

Text: Nurlan Tazhigulov, Maria Mazhenina

Photo: Valery Plotnitsky

Translation: Daria Kudelina