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United World Wrestling continues to spread wrestling in Ocean Indian

Wednesday, July 27, 2022 - 12:19 By United World Wrestling Press

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MORONI, Comoros (July 27) --- From 17th to 23 July 2022, United World wrestling deliver a level 1 coaching course through the support of Olympic Solidarity.

This course was delivered by Vincent AKA, United World Wrestling development officer. During this week, they were theoretical and practical of wrestling. To raise the technical level in wrestling, the emphasis was placed every morning and afternoon on the acquisition of basic techniques in Olympic wrestling on the mat.

This was an opportunity to discuss the ratings of wrestling techniques. This allowed the referees to make clarification on the knowledge of the points of the regulations relating to the situation of standing wrestling and wrestling on the ground.

To use all the key points to grow wrestling, it appears with the beautiful beaches in Comoros that to achieve the development of wrestling the interest of all clubs and wrestlers to use beach wrestling to contribute to a more exciting activity and promote wrestling by using the Beach.

Also, to start the process, during the course, while using Olympic style, the development officer proposes to use Beach Wrestling, which will be an opportunity to progress on growing wrestling in the whole Comoros.  from then on, the whole day of Wednesday was devoted to beach wrestling. This day was amazing as people on the beach join the participants and enjoy the activities.

That makes the President of the National Federation Mr. Abdallah and Mr. PAPA, Technical Director of the NOC said that: ``We have funded the key to promote and grow wrestling in Comoros”. We are going to use it Sundays when everybody comes to the Beach.

United World Wrestling continues its momentum to develop wrestling in the Indian ocean. Given the situation of the young Comorian Federation of Associated Wrestling, the development department under the leadership of Mrs. Deqa Niamkey has judged to send to the Comoros, Vincent AKA, Development Officer to provide real support to this young federation. By using the Olympic Solidarity course, United world wrestling create all the possibilities to use all stones on which to base the future development of wrestling in the Comoros.

Smaller federations will get special attention as the United World Wrestling does its utmost to create the conditions for wrestlers and federations to flourish. United World Wrestling will continue to partner with officials and organizations dedicated to the development of wrestling

United World Wrestling is determined through the new strategy led by President Nenad Lalovic to support the smaller federations to improve the development of wrestling in all regions of the world. Through its actions in the field, the development department remains the armed wing of the implementation of this vision.

United World Wrestling remains committed to spreading and growing wrestling in the world.

Trailblazer Epp Mae retires as Estonia's top wrestler

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 - 13:16 By Vinay Siwach

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ESTONIA (January 28) -- European champion and two-time World Championships medalist Epp MAE (EST) announced her retirement earlier in January at an emotional press conference in Tallinn. She left her shoes on the mat, symbolizing retirement from wrestling.

The 32-year-old is Estonia's most successful wrestler in Women's Wrestling, winning gold at the European Championships in 2021 and silver medals in the 2017 and 2022 editions. She also has a bronze medal from 2019.

At the World Championships, Mae became the first Estonian wrestler to win a medal, enter the final, and even have two medals. She won silver in the 76kg in 2021, plus three bronze medals in 2015, 2019, and 2022.

"The day I announced my retirement was very emotional and hard because something so big in your life came to an end," Mae told UWW. "I knew that I was about to retire because I was expecting a baby. But it was difficult to stand in front of the people and say that this part of my life has ended, so announcing was harder than deciding it inside myself."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Epp Mäe (@eppmae)

Mae is a two-time Olympian for Estonia. She made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games and finished 13th. She improved to eighth at the 2020 Tokyo Games. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mae tried qualifying in the 76kg weight class but failed to achieve that. Her last international competition was the World Olympic Qualifier in May in Istanbul.

"To be honest, I did not expect my career to be this long, as it is," she said. "I did not have any role models in female wrestling in Estonia when I was growing up. So I had no idea whether it was possible to earn money or live from wrestling and how far it was possible to go from my country. I dedicated my life and my career to wrestling as much as I could. An athlete should know it's time to step down. It aligned for me with a wish to start a family."

Epp MAE (EST)An emotional Epp MAE (EST) announcing her retirement in a wrestling club in Tallinn on January 9. (Photo: ERR / Siim Lõvi)

Mae took up wrestling after her father, a former wrestler, pushed her into the sport. However, there were no partners to train with and Mae did not have any national competitions. She even trained in judo and sumo just to get training.

When Estonia did start a national championship in women's wrestling, Mae dominated, winning it 12 times in her career. For other sports, she is a four-time Estonian sumo champion, a four-time Estonian beach wrestling champion, and has also been an Estonian judo champion on one occasion.

"I have always laughed that the population of Estonia is 1.3 million and I am one in a million to choose to do something like this and be successful," she said. "Coming from a small nation, it is not easy to break through to the top. Most likely you don't have training partners at home. you have to travel a lot away from your country and get to train at a level that you need to succeed."

Epp MAE (EST)Epp MAE (EST), red, wrestling at the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Internationally, Mae made her debut in 2007 at the U17 European Championships, winning a bronze medal in the 70kg weight class. She began her senior career at the Yasar Dogu in 2011 and won a silver medal at 72kg at the age of 18.

In 2012, Mae clinched the U20 European Championships and remains the only Estonian wrestler to win gold at the continental event at any age group. A decade later, she reached the final of the World Championships at 76kg, marking another historic landmark in Estonian wrestling.

"As I said there was no one in front of me to lead the way, I am happy that I went through everything to get to places and results that I managed to and kind of make a path for all the girls from Estonia who will ever wish or have this doubt whether it is possible to get that far," she said. "I am happy that they have a path already in front of them. I wish that they would want to go bigger and further than I did. I will be more than excited and happy if someone did do that."

Epp MAE (EST)Epp MAE (EST) wrestling in the 2021 World Championships final at 76kg in Oslo. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Reflecting on her career two-decade-long career, Mae did share her disappointment of not winning a medal at the Olympics but was happy to have achieved what she has for Estonia.

"My father recently told a journalist that what I did [in wrestling] was against the odds because we did not have all the possibilities and facilities a bigger team would have," she said. "So I think I did good in my career by achieving the results that I did. Little sad that I did not win a medal at the Olympics. But I can leave wrestling knowing that I gave everything. There is never going to be any doubt that what if I could have done this or that."

Now off the mat, Mae will concentrate on her family and follow the sport from afar.

"I will keep following wrestling and the wrestling friends I have made during the years. I will keep following them," she said. "For Estonia wrestling, I wish all the girls in different age groups we have right now will be motivated just to go as far as possible and always try to achieve the best for you. I will try to help Estonian wrestling as I can and I hope they will not stop developing Estonian female wrestling."