#development

UWW hosts pre-Belgrade Worlds training camp

Monday, October 2, 2023 - 11:31 By United World Wrestling Press

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DIVCIBARE, Serbia (October 2) --- United World Wrestling, together with the support of the Olympic Solidarity Sports Development Unit - Athletes and Sport Development Division via the Youth Athletes Development – International Federation Training Opportunity, organized a ten-day acclimatization camp before the first of six qualification events for the Paris Olympic Games from September 5-15, in Divcibare, Serbia.

Over 130 athletes and coaches from 50 nations participated in this year’s training camp and the UWW Technical Assistance for Competitions program.

SRBWrestlers who attended the training camp warm up for practice with a friendly game of basketball. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

‘We understand the importance of this competition and the financial difficulties our federations are facing with the worldwide inflation. At United World Wrestling, we always have our athletes at heart and try to support them as much as we can, to be fair to everyone to have an equal chance to take part in the 1st Paris Olympic Games Qualifier for wrestling, to help them on their first step towards achieving their Olympic dreams,' said Deqa NIAMKEY, UWW Development Director. ‘We had a record-high number of athletes and coaches this year in our supporting program.’

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Road to Dakar 2026 Continues with Successful Central Africa Programme in Brazzaville

Monday, June 22, 2026 - 08:50 By United World Wrestling Press

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BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (June 21) -- The second stop of the United World Wrestling (UWW) Africa Regional Educational Development Programme, Road to Dakar 2026, concluded successfully in Brazzaville after a week combining athlete preparation, education, technical development and competition in Olympic and Beach Wrestling.

Held from June 8 to 14 in the Republic of Congo, the Central Africa phase brought together National Olympic Committees and National Federations from across the region under a unified objective: strengthening wrestling ecosystems and creating more accessible pathways toward the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.

As the second of four regional tournaments scheduled within the continental Road to Dakar programme, the event represented another important milestone on the road to the first Olympic event to be hosted on African soil.

Africa REDT

The UWW Africa Regional Educational Development Programme was designed as a comprehensive and sustainable model that extends beyond competition. The initiative combines athlete development camps, coach and referee education, and practical competition opportunities.

By decentralising activities across regions and consolidating training and competition into one structure, the programme aims to reduce financial barriers for national federations and increase opportunities for athletes and technical officials.

Throughout the week, athletes participated in intensive daily training sessions, as coaches attended the UWW Technical Course - Level 2, focused on improving technical knowledge, athlete development methodologies and long-term performance planning.

Africa REDT

Simultaneously, referees took part in dedicated education sessions covering Beach Wrestling and introductory officiating pathways, preparing them for selection to undertake the International Category III referee examination in the future.

The programme concluded with the Regional Tournament, followed by the Beach Wrestling Regional Tournament, giving participants the opportunity to apply lessons learned during the educational phase directly into competition conditions.

The programme specifically prioritised youth development, with participating athletes largely drawn from the U17 age group and encouraging the involvement of emerging coaches across Central Africa. Support mechanisms jointly delivered by UWW and Olympic Solidarity helped facilitate participation through travel, accommodation, training access and tournament organisation.

Africa REDT

More than just a standalone event, Brazzaville demonstrated the long-term vision behind Road to Dakar 2026 by building stronger national structures, expanding participation and creating sustainable development opportunities well before the final qualification stages for the Youth Olympic Games.