World Sambo 2011

World SAMBO Championships in Vilnius

 November 10^th till 13^th

This years World Championships was to prove to be the biggest and best yet. Competed over 3 days the competition was held at the massive Siemens Centre in Vilnius, this venue was perfect for the 3 12m x 12m mats four massive great TV screens were situated in the ceiling in the middle of the Arena plus their were TV’s every where in the food auditorium so you would not miss the action, if that was not enough they had a live feed via the internet on www.sambo.tv. The registration and weigh in was the normal pandemonium the day before but the competition itself ran like clock work and FIAS organising committee should be congratulated on that. The Lithuanian’s also had put years of hard work into this tournament and it worked, in 1992 I ran a World Championship for FIAS in Herne Bay and it was the most stressful thing I have done.

GB took two players Danny Roberts and Barry Gibson both only had one fight as in the worlds you can only fight for bronze if you lose to a finalist, both them made a good account. The BSF would like to take more fighters but as we receive no grants or sponsorship it has become increasingly difficult financially. Martin Clarke BSF President went to watch and attend the FIAS Congress meeting and it cost me personally £800 for 4 days. Chairman Robin Hyslop and BSF Treasurer John Sharpe

Yet there is some hope the Russians have said they will support us at the Europeans and pay for 3 Sambo and 3 Combat Sambo players accommodation at the Europeans in next years European Championships in Moscow and the BSF have agreed that I will select the Sambo players and Robin in conjunction with Alan Clarkin will select the Combat Sambo players, we are not restricted to three players and can take a full contingent. Must point this is Combat Sambo not my SportCombatSombo, Combat Sambo is full contact on the ground as well.

While at the meeting it was said that $3 million will be spent next year promoting Sambo and money was on offer. I said it was important for GB that we started to see more top World class Sambo players attending British competitions and this they have agreed to do. They will be looking for a suitable date and we will get a venue near an airport such as Gatwick or Glasgow, with the latter being the more favourable as we get more support from the North then the South and also Robin can  get grants and sponsorship something not happening in the South,

The European Sambo Federation hope to spread the European Cup for 2013 over three Countries Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain yes it looks like our British Open will become a FIAS rated event.

In March we hope to take a big team to the Dutch open in Dalfsen contact HQ for more information.

While at the World‘s Robin and Myself met up with Andrew Moshanov a former British Judo Association Technical Director who was a spectator and he has shown a great interest in reviving his interest in Sambo with his influence with the BJA we could see more players having a go.

 I am very disappointed with the response to the 25^th anniversary (England Open) to day is Tuesday 15^th and the closing date is the 21^st and we only have a handful of competitors WHY? There is no way the closing date will be extended as it has been advertised for months, this is the trails for anyone wishing to be considered for internationals next year representing England so get booked in.

You will notice I have used the word England well because of the cost of travel, people losing jobs and having wage cuts the BSF have said the economics demand we work from individual countries to help our members. The BSF will apply to FIAS and the European Sambo Federation for permission for them to send National Teams.

The World Combat Games (Combat Olympics organised by Sports Accord) will be held in St Petersburg 2013 and we will hope to send a full team but selection for this event will start January 2012 and competitors will be selected form what they do over a 15 month period

Below is the official report on the event you can get the full result by visiting http://www.sambo.com

World SAMBO Championships in Vilnius:

 Day 1

Medals in nine weight classes have been decided during the first day of the World SAMBO Championships in Vilnius. The most representative were men 68 and 90kg weight classes: record number of participants, 22, was registered today, on the first competition day.

The first final bout in Vilnius was the one in women sports SAMBO (48kg). Russia's Maria Molchanova executed a combination of takedown and submission hold on the mat and defeated Margarita Filippova from Turkmenistan.

The second gold medal for Russia, in a bout against Estonia's Alexander Fedorov, was won, in less than 2 minutes, by Shamil Gasankhanov (74kg) in combat sambo.

The Belarusian sambo wrestlers were traditionally strong and the gold in 68kg combat SAMBO went to Dmitry Bazhilev, who edged his opponent for victory at the last moments of the bout. His initiative was carried on by Belarus' Ekaterina Prokapenka, who became the Champion in 60kg class.

Russia's Svetlana Galyant (72kg) won the seventh World Championships title and the fourth gold medal for Russia by defeating Tatiana Savenko from Ukraine at the close of the bout.

In the lightest weight class for men, 52kg sports SAMBO, we witnessed the bout between Kazakhstan's Undaganov and Georgia's Tsintsadze. A perfect execution of amplitude throw over his hip brought victory to the Georgian sambo wrestler.

Valery Soronokov (57kg, combat sambo) had to settle for bronze. The bitterness of defeat was sweetened for him by a birth of his son on the same day. We cordially congratulate him.

Venezuela, Serbia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan were also among the medalists of the first day.

The first medal for hosts was won by Lithuania's Viktor Tomashevich (74kg, combat). The hosts hope that it is not the last medal for the country and expect new victories already tomorrow to please the fans and followers of the SAMBO.

 

Vilnius: Day 2

The Russians, who won five gold medals on Saturday, hold the first place in the teams' classification after the first two days of the competition.

The most memorable final was the one in 74kg sports sambo featuring Uali Kurzhev. By a painful hold, which sambo wrestlers call by catchy and expressive name "jadwiga", he defeated his long-term rival Belarus' Stepan Popov. Lightning fast move was a highlight of the competition day and got a great response from the audience: such bright victories, especially in the finals, never fail to impress the spectators and are respected by specialists.

In women 80kg weight category Natalia Kazantseva also achieved an early victory. Technical actions on the ground, a hold-down and proficient transition to a painful hold and Natalia became the World Champion.

The other three medals for Russia that day were won by Susanna Mirzoyan (52kg), Artem Osipenko (100kg) and Ivan Davidenko (62kg, combat sambo).

The second place in teams' ranking after two competition days belongs to team Belarus. On Saturday another gold medal for the team was won in 64kg weight category by Angela Paim-Kraskovskaya, who defeated the three-time World Champion Russia's Olga Usoltseva on warnings.

Bulgaria rounds up the list of the top three teams.

The highlight of the competition day for all spectators of the "Siemens Arena" was a triumph by Bulgarian combat sambo wrestlers. At first Rosen Dimitrov (82kg) achieved an early victory over Niazhmengliev from Turkmenistan. A series of chest throws, inside grapple and Dimitrov raises his hands in triumph, celebrating his Championship title.

At the end of the competition day - a true treasure of the tournament - the final bout in heavyweight category between Bulgaria's Martin Marinkov and Russia's Kirill Sidelnikov. Great technical execution of a two-feet pickup gave Martin advantage in points; Kirill responded by blows and counterattacked by a throw undercut with legs grapple. In the end of this intense bout, in which advantage moved from one athlete to another, Marinkov executed a hold-down and achieved a convincing victory. The spectators welcomed the triumph of Bulgarian SAMBO by a standing ovation.

After the second competition day the top eight of the Championships also includes sambo wrestlers from Ukraine (1 - 2 - 6), Georgia (1 - 2 - 1), Kazakhstan (1 - 1 - 3), Turkmenistan (0 - 3 - 2) and Uzbekistan (0 - 1 - 3).

Tomorrow is the final day of the Championships, which will reveal the names of the champions in the remaining weight categories and will determine the outcome of the intense team rivalry.

World SAMBO Championships: the final day

The main Lithuanian hope for a World Championships gold was dashed on Sunday morning at the "Siemens-Arena". Sergei Grechikho, two-time World Champion in combat SAMBO, lost in the opening round of the day to Armenia's Vachick Vardanyan with 10:4 score. More so, his opponent loses the next round to a Russian, denying the Lithuanian a chance to win even a bronze medal. What a pity! But this is sport.

The Lithuanian female sambo wrestlers made up for a missed chance in men event and won two bronze medals today. In heavyweight category Santa Pakenite won the small final, while Aurelia Shukite did it in in 68kg category.

Another sensation happened in heavyweight class: US Nino Cutro-Kelly won the bronze. Team USA has not won World Championships medals since 2004 and today success is a major achievement for the national sambo federation.

There was a spectacular bout in 62kg weight category, where Russia's Vitaly Vin by a proficient pickup of both legs earned 4 points, which allow him to step on the top of podium.

It seems that on Sunday, the sambo wrestlers were competing for the fastest victory. Russia's Marina Kormiltseva defeated the Mongolian in 11 seconds; a painful hold caught her opponent Enkhbat Azzaya unaware.

Uzbekistan's Istam Kudratov needed only one second more to knock out Germany's Rasim Lemberanskij in 68kg combat sambo.

So, the hypothetical prize went to women.

A beautiful victory was achieved by Bulgaria's Kalina Stefanov (56kg) by performing several amplitude and proficient throws over the back from the knees.

We would also like to point out silver medals by the French and the Germans in combat sambo and silver won the Belarusian.

The final standings in the World Championships team rankings is: Russia, Belarus, Georgia for men.

Women team standing: Russia, Belarus, Turkmenistan.

Combat SAMBO: Russia, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan.

International Amateur Sambo Federation

Federation Internationale Amateur De Sambo

FIAS President

On the eve of the World SAMBO Championships Vilnius hosted a regular XXIII Congress of the International Amateur Sambo Federation.

The Congress delegates listened to the report by the FIAS President Vasily Shestakov. The President informed them of the work, carried out by the Federation in the past two years in order to meet the IOC requirements for joining Olympic family. He outlined priority goals that sambo family will be facing already in the nearest future.

"I am convinced that the Olympic heights which the FIAS has to conquer, large and complex tasks which we have to solve require quite another level of work, competency and responsibility. I think we all are ready for it", said Mr. Shestakov at the end of his presentation.

The Congress delegates unanimously approved the FIAS membership requests by 12 new federations; now sambo family unites 78 members.

In Asia they were Afghanistan, Iraq, Nepal, Palestine, Taiwan and Thailand.

Europe introduced Croatia, Africa - Senegal and Niger, South America - Argentine and Chile.

It was the president of the Sambo Federation of Argentina Mr. Juan Pablo Melo who was elected as a new head of the Pan-American Sambo Federation with the full support of the Congress.

The most important decision of the Congress was the approval of the new Regulations for organization and holding of the FIAS official competitions. The updated Regulations is precisely the document which would change the model of holding sambo tournaments and provide impetus for improving the quality of SAMBO competitions' organization.

BSF President Martin Clarke at Congress

Suggestions for organization of the SAMBO World Cup events and category "A" tournaments were submitted for the Congress consideration by the President of the European Sambo Federation Mr. Sergey Eliseev.

The First Vice-President of the FIAS Mr. Andrey Klyamko presented the financial report. "Professionals have gathered here, the people who know and understand SAMBO. And I am convinced that we all know that in order to reach the high goals, which were set got us, we have "roll our sleeves us" and work… and then work more", said the First Vice President at the end of his report.

Another decision approved unanimously was to change the name of the Federation to "International SAMBO Federation", removing the word "amateur" from it, like other international federations have already done. However, it has been decided to retain the abbreviation, the FIAS, as an already recognizable brand.

The Congress is over and tomorrow the XXXV World SAMBO Championships will begin at the "Siemens-Arena" in Vilnius under the auspice of the Federation with a new name: the

"International SAMBO Federation".