Development

United World Wrestling Wins MBR Creative Sports Award, $250k for Development Work

Tuesday, November 27, 2018 - 14:50 By United World Wrestling Press

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DUBAI (November 27) – United World Wrestling has won the "MBR Creative Sports Award" for best initiative for an International Summer Olympic International Federation. The award, one of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, was in recognition of United World Wrestling’s development program “More than Medals” a Cadet-level wrestling initiative active on five continents in 2018.

The award, worth $250,000, was announced as part of the MBR Creative Sports Award 10th annual award and is the “primary sports award dedicated to inspiring creativity in sports in the UAE, Arab countries, and worldwide.”

“We are very grateful for this recognition and see it as sign that our hard work in reaching young athletes is having a positive effect,” said United World Wrestling president and IOC executive board member, Nenad Lalovic. “The MBR Creative Sports Award will go far in helping expand the reach of our development department.”

A young athlete waits for additional training during a session at the More than Medals camp last summer in Zagreb. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Mustapha Larfaoui, Member of the Award's Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Arbitration Committee thanked all participating nations, athletes and federations.

"We are pleased with the growth achieved in the number of candidates locally, at Arab level and internationally, as well as the keenness of sports institutions and federation to participate through its initiatives and programs dedicated for youth.”

The 2018 More than Medals program ran from February to July and impacted more than 200 young wrestlers and coaches to qualify for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The "MBR Creative Sports Award" award is named for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, Patron of the Award and H.H Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the UAE National Olympic Committee. The award was created and increase and strengthen innovation and creativity in sports at the Arab level and internationally through honoring the innovators and excellency in sports work.

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026, Day 5 Freestyle Highlights

Friday, April 24, 2026 - 08:35 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- European Championships 2026 will enter day five with five Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg. Friday will also mark the return of Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) to European Championships after six years.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | SADULAEV's RETURN

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13:15: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), the returning silver medalist at 57kg, is clueless against Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) who beats the Serbian 5-0. Tuskaev got on a few attacks but could never finish them while Mekhtikhanov used a strong grip to either finish a takedown or a stepout. 

13:00: U20 world champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) will face Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the semifinals at 70kg after he made it to the last four with a 12-2 win over Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)

12:50:  Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is not giving any space to anyone on the mat. In his quarterfinals, Sadulaev blanks Radu LEFTER (MDA), 10-0 and is now in the semifinals.

12:45: Iszmail MUSZUKAEV (HUN) with all the moves you can imagine as he wins with a 10-0 technical superiority against Remzi TEMUR (TUR) and advances to the semifinals at 70kg.

12:36: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) takes out Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) in a low scoring bout at 65kg. Both wrestlers exchanged passivity points but Tevanyan got a point for lost challenge to make it 2-1. He was anyway leading 1-1 on criteria. Mamedov is disheartened as Tevanyan helps him to

his feet

12:25: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) puts hosts Albania in the semifinals at 65kg! He beats Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO), 3-1, and will now take on Islam GUSEINOV (UWW) who blanked Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN), 4-0.

12:15: Match of the morning as Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) and Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) leave it all on the mat in their 79kg bout. Kadzimahamedau lead 5-0 when Gaphrindashvili scored a scored a double-leg four pointer to make it 5-4. Kadzimahamedau challenged and was awarded two points to go with a reversal for Gaphrindashvili, making the score 7-5 for Kadzhimahamedau. After a scramble and stepout, the scores read 10-9 for Gaphrindashvili with 11 seconds left. Kadzimahamedau snuck out a takedown with 3 seconds left to win 11-10.

11:50: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) went on a defensive in the second period against Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) in their 97kg bout. After taking a 3-0 lead, Matcharashvili did not try much in the second period. He was put on the activity clock, gave up the point and then cautioned for fleeing for one more point but he held his 3-2 lead for the victory.  

11:40: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) seems fast on the mat! He works to an easy 10-0 victory over Benjamin GREIL (AUT) at 97kg. Sadulaev is hoping to win his sixth European title and first in six years.

11:32: Returning silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) needs a takedown in the last 30 seconds to break the 8-8 criteria lead of Okan TAHTACI (TUR) and lead 10-8. He then survives a flurry of attacks from Tahtaci in the final 18 seconds to win at 79kg

11:20: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) blanks Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM), 5-0, at 79kg as he begins his quest for a European title. Usmanov, who missed out on a world medal in Zagreb, seemed in better control of his bout here.

11:10: Former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), hoping to navigate through a tough 65kg field in Tirana, starts well beating Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 5-2, in the opening round bout. 

11:00: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), down at 79kg after last year's silver-medal run at 86kg, begins with a 4-1 victory over Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD).

10:50: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) makes his European Championships debut with a win. He scores a takedown Mykyta HONCHAROV (UKR) before falling behind 3-2. But that was all Honcharov was scoring as Mamedov worked on five different takedowns and win 12-3 at 65kg.

10:30: It's not just Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) on the mat on Friday in Tirana, but also Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL), David BAEV (UWW), Akhmed USMANOV (UWW), Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)