Albert Astakhov Memorial Cup in SAMBO Held in Venezuela

The Open SAMBO tournament, the Albert Astakhov Memorial Cup, took place in Maracay (Aragua State), Venezuela. The competition in both Sport and Combat SAMBO was held on March 20-21 at the “El Paseo” sports complex.

According to the Venezuelan SAMBO Federation, the tournament brought together 168 athletes from 16 states across the country, along with a guest team from Nicaragua. Competitors aged 17 and older battled in open weight categories.

“For us, this event is one of the key tournaments of the year, as its results will determine the lineup of the Venezuelan national team for the Pan American Championships in Ecuador,” said César Arteaga, President of the Venezuelan SAMBO Federation.

Albert Astakhov, in whose memory the tournament is held, was the pioneer of SAMBO in Venezuela. His dedication to developing the sport across South America not only fostered a deep love for SAMBO among many athletes but also earned him great recognition in the Venezuelan sports community. The tournament he once founded was renamed in his honor after his passing in 2009.