Joseph BESSALA AWONO: “Hard work and time – that’s what it takes to win!”

Cameroonian athlete Joseph Bessala Awono became the African champion in Combat SAMBO in the under 79 kg weight category. At the tournament held from May 24 to 26 in Guinea, he confidently defeated all of his opponents. In an interview with the FIAS website, Joseph spoke about his path to long-awaited gold, his experience at the World SAMBO Championships, and how rugby skills have helped him in SAMBO.

– This was a major challenge for me because last year at the African Championships in Egypt, I only managed to win silver. I also took second place at the African Games in Ghana. So I went to Guinea with the clear goal of winning gold and prepared very seriously for this championship. I had planned to take revenge on the opponent who had beaten me before, but he didn’t take part in the tournament in Conakry.

Last year also marked your debut at the World SAMBO Championships in Kazakhstan. What are your impressions of that tournament?

– It’s a completely different level compared to the continental championships. I knew there would be many participants from different countries, but when I experienced it firsthand, it was truly incredible. When I arrived at the weigh-in, I realized I had a huge bracket – 24 opponents in my weight class. I had four bouts at the World Championships in Astana and won a bronze medal. That was a huge achievement for me.

How did you get into SAMBO for the first time? And why did you choose Combat SAMBO?

– I began my sports career with rugby. After a while, I switched to judo. Then I realized I didn’t feel particularly comfortable in judo either. That’s when I met the coach of the Cameroonian national SAMBO team. He explained everything to me in detail, and I decided to give Combat SAMBO a try. To be honest, at first I was skipping classes, thinking it wasn’t all that serious. But the coach got me interested, and then the training and competitions completely drew me in. Now I dedicate a lot of time to SAMBO and have finally achieved a great result.

Have any of your rugby skills helped you in Combat SAMBO?

– In rugby, we learned how to seize the ball and then carry it to the try zone of the opposing team. These skills came in very handy for takedowns – now, instead of a ball, I land my opponents on the mat.

Do you have any dreams in SAMBO that keep you motivated to train?

– Absolutely. I want to reach the same heights in SAMBO as our coach Seidou Nji Mouluh – to become a world SAMBO champion, ideally a two-time world champion like him. And beyond that, I’d like to find opportunities for career growth and keep reaching new heights.

What would you say to young people just starting out in SAMBO to motivate them?

– If we’re talking about guys from Cameroon, from my neighborhood, I don’t need to say anything. They see me all the time, follow my achievements, and they already believe that SAMBO is the best sport on the planet. So they don’t need extra motivation. The only thing that separates a champion from someone who can’t achieve anything is hard work. If young people don’t want to work, they won’t become stronger or more skilled. You have to work a lot and work hard – even when you don’t feel like it. Hard work and time – that’s what it takes to win!

What does SAMBO mean to you?

– SAMBO is an incredible blend of all martial arts. I want to thank my coach who introduced me to this sport. Getting to know SAMBO opened up almost every type of martial art to me, which is very valuable and important. And I’m grateful to the people who brought me into SAMBO.