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Wish Programme Cohort 4 wraps up in London

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 - 00:14 By Eric Olanowski

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LONDON, England (September 5) – Women in Sport High-Performance Pathway (WISH) kicked off the 1st Edition of the programme on May 23, 2022. 

Since then they have started 2nd, 3rd, 4th cohort to help develop more women coaches in sport. 

The WISH Programme is designed to equip women coaches, who have the potential and ambition, to succeed in gaining roles at elite coaching levels within their sports. The programme is specifically designed to help coaches develop their sport-specific skills, leaderships skills and behaviours, and build confidence. United World Wrestling is participating along with many other IF’s and is being support by Olympic Solidarity, University of Hertfordshire, and Females Achieving Brilliance (FAB).

United World Wrestling has had two additional coaches started the most recent cohorts. Teresa MENDEZ (ESP) and member of UWW Gender Equality Commission along with W.I.Lalanthi Disanayaka (SRI) are participating in the 4th cohort. A total of 124 coaches benefited from the programme which 12 are from wrestling. The coaches are from 60 nations representing the five continents and across the 33 Olympic sports.

 “I highly appreciate the opportunities provided by UWW to promote women wrestling. This week was amazing to be a group of women coaches from all Olympic sports. The programme and content prompted me to learn more about myself. I strengthen my self-confidence, learned positive thinking, how to better self-evaluate to improve, and to self-reflect to find a solution to any problem,” said Teresa Mendez.

W.I.Lalanthi Disanayaka “My country is facing so many economical and social issues but thanks to sport, we can promote a better society especially for the younger generations. Never in my dreams, I would have thought I would be selected for such scholarship. I am very grateful and will pursue the development of wrestling in my country”.

The residential session was a weeklong event where the coaches attended working sessions and participated in learning activities with over 20 coaches from other sports in attendance. Some of the key learning points included leadership skills, creative problem-solving, creating connections, mindset, having uncomfortable conversations, visualizing the future, etc.

“The WISH (Empowering Woman Coaches) is dear to me. Bringing women coaches, managers, administrators from around the globe to work on common challenges in sports is the only way forward to bridge the gap of gender equality," said Deqa Niamkey, UWW DD and WISH Strategy Chair. "We still have a long way to go before reaching the 50/50 gender equality but through such programmes, rest assured, we are on the right track. We are currently discussing with the University of Hertfordshire, WISH committee, IOC/OS to expand the programme to regional, continental level and in different languages.”

The WISH Programme is a 21-month programme. These coaches will continue meeting with the WISH Leadership Team, work with their leadership mentors, and sport-specific mentors. WISH was originally piloted as the WSLA High-Performance Coach Programme. UWW participated in the original pilot program with four coaches. After a successful experience, the WISH Programme was developed and expanded to include participation by more International Federations. UWW has renewed its participation to this outstanding programme.

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Day 6 Freestyle Highlights

Saturday, April 25, 2026 - 08:56 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 25) -- The last five weight classes of European Championships will be in action on Saturday. Zavur UGUEV (UWW), Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SV), Ibragim KADIEV (UWW), Georgios KOUGIOUMSTIDIS (GRE) are among the stars that hit the mat in 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg.

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14:00: Osman GOCEN (TUR) cannot get his leg out of Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) hold in what was one of the most entertaining matches of the morning session. Kadiev led for most of the match but Gocen kept coming back and made it 4-4 with exposure points but a reversal gives Kadiev a 5-4. He then turns Gocen to extend it to 7-4. However, Gocen with a takedown with 24 seconds left to make it one-point difference. But as he shoots for an attack, Kadiev hangs on to Gocen's leg and doesn't let it go, winning the semifinal 7-6.

13:45: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) places himself in the 86kg semifinals with a big 10-0 victory over Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA). Dzhioev will face Ivars SAMUSONOK (LAT) for a place in the gold medal bout

13:35: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) has an unbreakable defense in the world. He frustrates Timur BIZHOEV (UWW) in the 74kg semifinals and beats him 2-1. Salkazanov is chasing his fifth European title

13:25: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE ((GEO) into the semifinals at 86kg with a 5-1 victory over Joshua MORODION (GER). Gamkrelidze looks in solid form but will face a tough challenge in the semifinals in one of Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) and Osman GOCEN (TUR).

(UWW) Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (7)(AZE) Turan BAYRAMOV (9)

13:16: World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) has no answer to Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) wrestling as the Azerbaijan wrestler blanks Maisuradze 5-0 to advance to the 92kg semifinals

13:15: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), the returning medalist at 61kg, is back into the semifinals. He sends the home crowd into a frenzy after he defeated Niklas STECHELE (GER), 6-2.

13:10: Defending champion Zavur UGUEV (UWW) hits a massive counter using a double underhook on Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW) and then works on a 11-2 victory to enter the semifinal against Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM). It will be a rematch of the final from last year which Uguev won.

13:05: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) with a takedown in the final five seconds to beat Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM) at 125kg. The defending champion was down 3-3 on criteria and then gave up a takedown to fall behind 5-3. Khachatryna tries to defend is but in no position to do it as Meshvildishvili hits a double leg outside takedown for the criteria win.

12:50: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) with late takedown in a back-and-forth match to beat Shamil MUSAEV (UWW), 6-5 at 125kg. Every time Musaev seemed to chip away, Buyukcingil came back with a takedown.

12:45: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) gives up one point against Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) but has no trouble in beating the Ukrainian 11-1 and advance to the semifinals at 61kg

12:40: World champion at 79kg Georgios KOUGIOMISTDIS (GRE) falls in the first round against Osman GOCEN (TUR), 5-3. He began well with takedown and stepout but Gocen comes back with two takedowns to take a 4-3 lead. Kougiomistdis commits a offensive foul. Greece challenge the call and but lost it to win a point to Gocen.

12:30: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) sets up a match against Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) after a 8-1 victory over Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) at 86kg. Just controlling the bout through and through for the win.

12:20: Timur BIZHOEV (UWW), trying to the coveted 74kg gold, begins with a 11-0 shutout victory over Ibragim VELIEV (BEL) and advance. 

12:15: World bronze medalist Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) is like a workhorse and slowly pile ups the points over Denys BYKOV (UKR), winning his 86kg opening bout 10-0.

12:05: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) survives a scre against Farhad NOURIKHORJESTAN (UWW) at 74kg. Bayramov fell behind 2-1 but scored a stepout to take a 2-2 criteria lead before defending it for the win.

11:30: Home-favorite Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) moves forward at 61kg after a 12-2 technical superiority win over Simone PIRODDU (ITA). He blocked an arm throw from Prioddu to score his opening points before using a 2-on-1 for snap takedown and turn to lead 6-0. Piroddu scored two exposure points from a scramble but Abakarov quickly escaped and turned him three times for the win.

11:25: Returning silver medalist Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) works on his murderous leg-lace and beats Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), 11-0.

11:15: Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) does a perfect fireman's carry against Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) to score four points. He then continues to turn Kerymov and comes out with an 8-2 lead from the scramble. Ormanoglu scores two more points but Kerymov wins 8-4

11:10: Big match on Mat C as Shamil MUSAEV (UWW) takes on returning silver medalist Soloman MANASHVILI (GEO) at 125kg. Musaev with a trip to open the scoring for two points before giving up a reversal. He scored a go-behind to go ahead 4-1. Manashvili cut the lead to 4-3 after exposure with a minute left in the bout. But a struggling Manashvili gives up two more go-behinds and drops his first bout 8-3

10:30: Welcome to day six of the European Championships in Tirana. After the repechage rounds, the qualifications will being in 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg.