#development

UWW Organizes International Training Camp Before African Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (May 11) -- United World Wrestling hosted a international training camp before the 2026 African Championships in Alexandria from April 20 to 26.

The camp, organized with a focus on performance, technical exchange, and sporting cooperation, brought together coaches and wrestlers from across the continent with participants from Burundi, the Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tunisia, Guinea, Namibia, Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, and Zambia.

One of the major highlights of this edition was the historic participation of Zambia, which took part for the first time in a continental wrestling activity. The participation symbolizes the steady expansion of African wrestling into new nations and confirms the growing development of the sport across the continent. The Zambian delegation included wrestler Martin JERE (ZAM) and Stephen FULANGANI (ZAM), accompanied by their coach Eugine CHIPOKOLO.

Alexandria

Throughout the week, wrestlers took part in specialized sessions combining standing and ground techniques, upper and lower-level attacks, targeted defense drills, technical combinations, aerobic preparation, acrobatic exercises, and individual training. Coaches would also use this gathering as an opportunity to exchange training methods and share their expertise within a high-level international environment.

The camp will bring together several experienced athletes and international competitors in Freestyle, Women’s Wrestling, and Greco-Roman. Among the participating nations were also several Sub-Saharan African countries that continue to strengthen their presence on the continental stage through increasingly strong participation.

Beyond the sporting aspect, the program also included awareness sessions focused on environmental protection in sport through the “Wrestle Green” initiative, as well as workshops dedicated to anti-doping education and athlete protection.

Alexandria

Participants also received dedicated camp equipment, including sportswear, “Wrestle Green” materials, and training accessories intended for daily practice sessions.

#development

UWW Donates Mats to Mauritius for Regional Development Project

By United World Wrestling Press

MAURITUS (April 27) -- United World Wrestling has donated wrestling mats to the Mauritius National Wrestling and Allied Games Association. The mats were provided through UWW’s partner and sponsor, Taishan Sports, in support of the Olympic Solidarity/ UWW Regional Development Program.

The mats will be used as part of the OS/UWW regional program, which aims to strengthen wrestling development in Mauritius and create a lasting impact across the East Africa region. By improving access to quality training facilities and equipment, the initiative seeks to support athletes, coaches, and youth participation while helping national federations raise standards across the region.

The regional program is scheduled to take place from October 9 to 18, 2026 and will combine athlete training camps, coaches’ education, referees’ courses, and a regional competition to conclude the activities. Olympic Solidarity will soon send invitations to all National Olympic Committees in East Africa to participate in the program.

The President of the Mauritius National Wrestling and Allied Games Association Joel ANTOINETTE highly appreciated the donation.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generous donation of these wrestling mats," Antoinette said. "This contribution is more than just equipment; it’s the foundation for a new era. We promise to honor this gift by working tirelessly to revolutionize the Wrestling sport, pushing boundaries, and elevating our athletes to heights."

Thanks to the support of the Mauritius National Olympic Committee, this is not the first time that the Mauritius National Wrestling Association has organized such educational events. Over the past years, they have successfully delivered several Olympic Solidarity/UWW development activities at both national and regional levels.

Mauritius has increased its presence on the international wrestling stage in recent years, with athletes competing more regularly at major events thanks to the continued support of the Mauritius National Olympic Committee and the Mauritius Wrestling federation. This progress reflects the growing ambition of the federation and the country’s commitment to advancing the sport.