Niyazmyrat BABEKOV: "Winning the World SAMBO Championships title in my homeland is my main goal"

Turkmen athlete Niyazmurat Babekov won a gold medal in Sport SAMBO in the 64 kg weight category at the World SAMBO Cup held in Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyzstan). After the final bout, he shared his emotions with the FIAS website.

During the bout, you were losing 0:1, but then you were able to make as many as three effective technical moves. How did you manage to do that?

– My coach prepared me for the competition, gave me the necessary attitude, and perhaps this is what allowed me to pull myself together at the right moment and make effective throws.

Did the fact that you were losing somehow affect the course of the bout? Maybe you got angry in a sporty way?

– Indeed, when I was losing, I got angry in a sporty way, waited for the right moment, took my hold and started working. Fortunately, I succeeded.

So, in fact, you did what you know how to do?

– Yes, that’s right, I did my job on the mat. And I was very motivated, because I had been working towards this title for a very long time. This is my first gold medal at the World SAMBO Cup.

What does this victory mean to you? Why is it so important to you?

– I dreamed about it, but not only about the gold medal, but also about the opportunity to raise the flag of my country. This is not only my victory, but also my team’s, my people’s, my country’s. It is extremely important for me that the anthem of Turkmenistan was played during the award ceremony.

During the final bout, the fans loudly chanted the name of your country, actually even drowning out the stands, that is, the hosts of the tournament, who were rooting for their athlete. How can you explain this? Did you bring a large support group here?

– SAMBO is one big family, and at the same time it is completely normal that the sympathies of the fans are divided, because it is a sport. We have very warm relations between the teams, athletes and coaches. Despite the intensity of emotions, the high involvement of all participants in the competitive process, everything always takes place in a very friendly atmosphere.

What's next?

– "Gold" of the World SAMBO Championships in Astana. And I also really hope that next year the World Championships will be held in Turkmenistan. And then victory in my homeland will become my main goal!