Only a Few Days Left until the European SAMBO Championship in Moscow

The Championship will be held in the capital of Russia on May 18-20. We would like to note that 2012 is an anniversary year for SAMBO. European SAMBO will celebrate the 20th anniversary since the foundation and registration of European SAMBO Federation. In addition, 40 years ago, in 1972, they held the first Open European SAMBO Championship. This historical Championship of the Old World took place in Riga (Latvia) which was one of the sports life centers at the time. 40 years ago, sambists from 40 countries gathered in Riga Sports hall. Those were the representatives of Bulgaria, the UK, Spain, the USSR, Yugoslavia, Iran, Mongolia, and Japan. The first Europe Champions were: V. Kyullenen (USSR) - 58 kg, A. Khosh (USSR) - 62 kg, K. Gerasimov (USSR) - 66 kg, V. Nevzorov (USSR) - 70 kg, A. Fyodorov (USSR) - 75 kg, Ch. Ezerkas (USSR) - 80 kg, N. Nisinaki (Japan) - 86 kg, N. Sato (Japan) - 93 kg, S. Novikov (USSR) - 100 kg, V. Kuznetsov (USSR) - over 100 kg. 40 years later, the winners of the legendary Championship (now famous people, both in sports and in ordinary life) will meet in Moscow and celebrate that event well remembered by the sambists of the world in the course of the Opening Ceremony of the European Championship. The details of this ceremony are not yet known, but it is already clear that it will symbolize the ties among countries and generations; the ties created by sports. Sport teaches us very simple things: friendship, honor and respectful attitude. The living Champions of those years are eminent persons, in all respects. Sergei Novikov and Vladimir Nevzorov are Olympic Champions in judo, Cheslovas Ezerskas is a three-time SAMBO World Champion; Nobuyuki Sato is a two-time World Champion in judo, and Konstantin Gerasimov is the winner of the first SAMBO World Cup winner. These talented people (who are actually talented in everything, as the saying goes) are also successful in their non-sports activities. Their success proves that SAMBO is not merely a sport but also an excellent school of life. Sergei Novikov has created a new sport - "Russian Combat" (or "Universal Combat"). Nobuyuki Sato is the coach of the famous Japanese judoka Yasuhiro Yamashito, the President of Japan Students Judo Federation, and the Rector of the Tokyo University. Vladimir Nevzorov, a famous coach and teacher, founded his own judo school. Cheslovas Ezerskas is a general of Lithuanian army. Those eminent people will inspire young sambists to fight for the medals of the Moscow Championship that will be held during three days (on May 18, 19 and 20) in Druzhba Universal Sports Hall in Luzhniki Olympic Sports Complex. They will fight for the medals in three categories (men, women and combat SAMBO). On May 17, on the arrival day, they will hold a Report and Election Meeting of European SAMBO Federation, and the regular election of the President of the Continental Federation. We would like to remind you that now this position is occupied by the Sergei Eliseev, President of All-Russian SAMBO Federation. On May 18, the SAMBO mats of Druzhba Sports Hall will accept women of the weight categories 48, 60 and 72 kg, and men of the weight categories 52, 68 and 90 kg. Combat SAMBO will be represented by athletes of the following weight categories: 57, 74, and 100 kg. On Saturday (May 19) women sambists will fight for the medals in the weight categories of 52, 64, and 80 kg, and men - in 57, 74 and 100 kg. On the same day, we will know the winners and medalists of combat SAMBO competitions in the weight categories of 62, 82 and over 100 kg. The final day will determine the champions and prize winners in women's weight categories of 56, 68, and over 80 kg; the men will choose the strongest ones in sports SAMBO in the weight categories of 62, 82 and over 100 kg; combat sambists will determine the strongest ones in the weight categories of 52, 68 and 90 kg. The competitions will start at 10:00 AM. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for May 18, at 6:00 PM; the final block of the first competition day will start right after the Ceremony, and at 6:00 on all the other days. For mass media: on all the accreditation issues, please contact the Press Attache of Russian SAMBO Federation Svetlana Sushko; tel.: 8(495) 725 46 83, e-mail: sambo-press@mail.ru Natalia Yukhareva press-service of FIAS