Development

Bulgaria Hosts Successful 'More Than Medals' Wrestling Development Camp

By Tim Foley

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (August 13) -- The United World Wrestling development department, along with the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation, last week hosted the annual 'More than Medals' World Camp (MTM) with more than 30 athletes and a half dozen coaches from several nations in attendance. The camp followed the 2019 Cadet Wrestling World Championships also held in Sofia.

MTM is a full athlete developmental clinic focusing on both techniques and education for athletes ages 14-17. Clinicians covered how to plan for training, Olympic values, and proper nutrition. There was also an anti-doping seminar led by Mrs. Elka GALEVA of the Bulgarian National Anti-Doping Organization.



"The atmosphere in Sofia was great! Everyone shifted very quickly from being opponents to friends," said UWW Development Director Deqa NIAMKEY. "Despite coming from different countries and languages the wrestlers found ways to unify. Wrestling is a universal language and our programs aim to enhance the knowledge and capacities of our athletes."

For the first time ever, the MTM camp included athletes and coaches from Spain and Estonia.

"This was my first More Than Medals camp and I thought that the UWW educators were very good and that the services were excellent," said Martin PLASER (EST). "They adapt the training to each individual and bring out the best from each participant. They give chance to learn to each athlete while respecting everyone’s background and culture."


Local athletes also joined in the learning with five local wrestlers attending the camp and taking in lessons from a variety of UWW instructors.

"We are very happy to be here and we made some great friends," said wrestler Sofia TENEVA (BUL). "It is good to learn the working and training methods of others. To learn from each other and we will gladly participate in future camps"


In fulfilling their mission to provide wrestling opportunities to all wrestlers around the world, the UWW Development Department will next host an acclimation camp for the 2019 Senior Wrestling World Championships this September in Nur-Sultan.

Pakistan Wrestling Federation Hosts National Referees, Coaches Course

By United World Wrestling Press

LAHORE, Pakistan (March 27) -- The Pakistan Wrestling Federation, with the support of Olympic Solidarity and the National Olympic Committee of Pakistan, hosted a national course for referees and coaches Feb. 29 to March 1 in Lahore. 

This was the second national course by high performance coach Farid GHULAM and referee Riaz MUHAMMAD who served as instructors for the course, with the support of OS and NOC under the expertise of UWW Educators Carlos Garcia (ESP) and Trevor Hoskins (GBR).

Ghulam and Muhammed served as instructors for this course, too, which included over 30 participants, both male and female. The course combined both practical and theoretical sessions and highlighted elements such as nutrition, periodization, fitness and athlete preparation.
 


The Pakistan Wrestling Federation hosted a coaches and referees course in December as well.

"It is a good example of how UWW can trigger a movement of the development of wrestling in countries and even better, generate the flame of motivation and teamwork necessary to accomplish the long-term goal," said UWW educator Carlos GARCIA.


The Pakistan Wrestling Federation has put great efforts toward the development of wrestling in recent years and achieved strong results at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

The plan is to create a national system to grow wrestling and identify future talents with a solid coaching and refereeing structure.