Development

United World Wrestling Assists in Delivery of Mats and Equipment to Puerto Rico

Monday, December 17, 2018 - 00:14 By United World Wrestling Press

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (December 17) – United World Wrestling and USA Wrestling’s Wrestling4Peace initiative successfully delivered two new wrestling mats, two donated wrestling mats and a variety of training equipment and clothing last week to the Puerto Rico Wrestling Federation.

The donated mats and equipment were collected by USA Wrestling’s Wrestling4Peace with two new mats and delivery payments provided by United World Wrestling. The donations are part of an ongoing commitment by United World Wrestling to help the island in their recovery from hurricanes that pummeled the nation in 2017.

“Puerto Rico is one of the strongest wrestling nations in the Americas,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. “We are here to better serve our athletes, especially those who’ve had to overcome obstacles like the hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. This is just a part of what we’d like to accomplish, and it’s a great start.”

Lorraine RORABAUGH (USA) and Steve FRASER (USA) of USA Wrestling4Peace join Puerto Rico National Olympic Committee president Sara ROSALES (PUR), UWW Americas president Francisco LEE (GUA), and Puerto Rico national wrestling federation president Manual GARCIA (PUR) for a discussion of the recent donations (Photo: Luis Marin).

Puerto Rico has enjoyed plenty of wrestling success in recent years, with Jaime ESPINAL snatching Olympic silver with his runner-up finish in Beijing in freestyle at 86kg.

“We would like thank United World Wrestling for the coordination of the mats donated by USA Wrestling,” said Manuel GARCIA, president of the Puerto Rico National Wrestling Federation. “This donation has been a blessing to our island and act of kindness that you cannot find words to express how thankful we are.”

The donated mats were put to immediate use as 1984 Greco-Roman Olympic champion Steve FRASER (USA) put on a pair a clinics at local wrestling clubs in San Juan. Fraser taught a variety of techniques and talked with the young wrestlers about what it takes to win at the Olympic level.

“It was Wrestling4Peace’s pleasure to help Puerto Rico recover from the challenges it faced after Hurricane Maria,” said Fraser. “With the assistance of United World Wrestling, we were happy to collect over 1000 pieces of wrestling gear, including wrestling shoes, singlet’s, shorts, shirts, two wrestling mats and some strength training equipment and deliver to Puerto Rico Wrestling Federation.”

United World Wrestling Joins World Taekwondo for Historic Event at Azraq Refugee Camp

Saturday, July 20, 2019 - 12:27 By Tim Foley

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AMMAN, Jordan (July 20, 2019) – United World Wrestling (UWW), World Taekwondo (WT), and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) hosted the first-ever joint Olympic-sport training event, named Aspire 2gether for Peace, in the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan.

The joint event is a tangible outcome of the landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between UWW, WT, and THF on 22 October 2018 to promote humanitarian, peace and social-development through sport. The Aspire 2gether for Peace event, sees UWW unite with WT and THF to deliver wrestling training to refugees at the existing Humanitarian Taekwondo Center.
 


The event was attended by a senior delegation from all three organizations and included WT President and  THF Chairman Chungwon Choue, Olympic gold medallists and THF/WT Ambassadors, Wu Jingyu and Ahmed Abu Ghaush; UWW Development Director Deqa Niamkey and Olympic medallists and UWW Ambassadors, Arsen Julfalakyan and Clarissa Chun. IOC Executive Board Member HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein attended on behalf of the IOC and UNHCR delegates attended the event on Filippo Grandi’s behalf.

THF/WT President Choue delivered an opening address, and UWW Development Director Deqa Niamkey also gave a speech on behalf of UWW President Nenad Lalovic, ‘Playing sport helps children building mental strength, resilience and fundamental skills. Thanks to the Jordanian Royal family and WT and THF to have invited United World Wrestling to this historic joint-event. We are delighted to have joined forces with World Taekwondo and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation to show that our MoU was not just words, but the start of a real and tangible partnership which will benefit refugee children around the world.’


A wrestling demonstration with the refugee children was carried out following the Azraq taekwondo team demonstration. Wrestling and Taekwondo lessons were also given to the refugee children later of the day.


Arsen Julfalakyan (ARM) UWW ambassador and Athletes Commission Member said: “It is great to contribute to the lives of the refugees through sport and thanks to the opportunity given by the WT and THF, wrestling is in the Azraq sporting programme. The refugees need sport in their lives which will enhance their current difficult situation with the hope that peace will reach their country. UWW is very proud to inspire the future generations."


United World Wrestling is committed to making a long-term contribution to improve the lives of the refugee children in Azraq. Together with Jordanian Olympic Committee and Jordanian Wrestling Federation, 4 local coaches will be running a 6- day a week schedule to provide wrestling lessons to children currently living in the camp.