#development

UWW partners with FFL to announce INSEP as high-performance center

Friday, September 2, 2022 - 07:42 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 2) -- As the buzz for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris gathers momentum, the United World Wrestling (UWW) has entered into a partnership with the French wrestling federation (FFL), the country's National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance -- commonly known as INSEP -- in a bid to grow wrestling in France, assist Francophone athletes and open the doors to world-class training facilities to wrestlers from across the globe.

As per the tri-partite agreement, the INSEP national wrestling network of training centers of Paris, Dijon and Font Romeu will be designated as a UWW World Wrestling Center.

This will enable the centers to hold training camps for selected elite wrestlers, conduct education courses for wrestling coaches, and organize knowledge-sharing activities (e.g. seminars, educational sessions, coach exchanges) that assist referees and coaches in ways that enhance world-class athlete preparation systems as well as ensure experience sharing in particular for female sport. It will also enable them to take active leadership in world wrestling regarding best-practice athlete pathway management.

This will also help the French federation to welcome as many foreign countries as possible to the center to be able to find training partners for the wrestlers. Currently, 26 French wrestlers train at INSEP in the three Olympic styles.

Nenad LALOVICUWW President Nenad LALOVIC at INSEP in Paris. (Photo: INSEP / Isabelle AMAUDRY)

Nenad Lalovic, President of the UWW, Lionel Lacaze, President of the FFL and Fabien Canu, Director of INSEP were present on the occasion.

“INSEP is a well renowned high-performance center worldwide and today we are delighted to sign this agreement to further strengthen our sport in France and abroad," Lalovic said.

INSEP was created in 1975 under the name, the National Institute of Sport and Physical Education. Over the years, it has grown into one of the world’s foremost Olympic training centers.

Spread over 28 hectares, it is home to almost 800 athletes in 27 Olympic and Paralympic disciplines, including wrestling. 

INSEP not only has a state-of-the-art training facility but also provides technical and scientific expertise with genuine respect for the athletes. INSEP is the ideal training center for elite athletes in view of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

#WrestleTirana

Kamal soars high with Tirana Ranking Series gold

Sunday, March 2, 2025 - 00:02 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 1) -- The last time Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was in action internationally, he did not have a favorable outcome. A bloody battle with Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) ended in a loss at the European Championships.

But Kamal, who impressed all with his performance at all the age-group World Championships and continentals, started the 2025 season with a scintillating victory at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, capturing the 63kg gold medal.

The 2022 U23 world champion was in his elements as he defeated Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), 10-0, in the final with two big throws for four points each. His first shoulder throw gave him a 4-0 lead, then he got the par terre position from which he performed a suplex for four points to win in just over a minute. Choibekov challenged for a leg-foul but Kamal's movements were clean.

In his earlier bouts, he defeated Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) 5-1 in the quarterfinals with some incredible defense from par terre in the first period. When Mohsen Nejad tried to turn Kamal, the Turkish wrestler moved forward on the mat to break Mohsen Nejad's grip.

Mohsen Nejad needed to score to break Kamal's 1-1 criteria lead and tried a big throw which Kamal blocked and pinned Mohsen Nejad on the mat for four points.

"At the Turkish Championships six weeks ago, I moved up to the new weight class of 63kg," Kamal said. "This time I competed against very strong opponents like Mohsen Nejad from Iran and [Razvan] Arnaut from Romania. I’m happy that I was able to win all my matches. It was a good start to the new year.

Kamal will now be busy for the preparation of European Championships to be held in second week of April in Bratislava, Slovakia.

"I’m not yet 100 percent fit," he said. "I focused a lot on endurance training during the training camp, and my preparations are fully aligned with the European Championships. I wanted to test my ground defense -- I did a good job [in Tirana] but I will work even harder to make sure I can reach my full potential at the European Championships."

Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) throws Valentin PETIC (MDA) for four points during the 67kg final in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Kyrgyzstan did win a gold medal as U23 world champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) brought out his best in the final against Valentin PETIC (MDA), beating the Moldovan 11-0 to capture the 67kg gold medal.

This was the second gold medal for Kyrgyzstan in Tirana after Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) won the 77kg gold medal on Friday.

Beishekeev, the U23 world champion last year in Tirana, needed only the first par terre position to complete the technical superiority win over Petic. He went for the reverse left and scored four points and as Petic landed on his back, Beishekeev went for the fall. However, Petic blocked Beishekeev with his hands on legs was docked two caution points.

With a 7-0 lead and restart in par terre, Beishkeev once again went for the reverse lift and scored a four-pointer to complete the 11-0 win.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), 10-0

BRONZE: Baiaman APILOV (KGZ) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) df. Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 3-1

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 11-0

BRONZE: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Madiyar MAULITKANOV (KAZ), 7-2
BRONZE: Bagdat SABAZ (KAZ) df. Lei LI (CHN), 9-1