The first Russian Sambo Championships among the blind have been held

A historical event took place in the capital of Russia on May 20~21. Russia Sambo Championships among the blind were held at the sports center of Moscow State University of Civil Engineering. More than 80 athletes from 23 regions of the country gathered in Moscow to participate in this major tournament.

Before the preliminary rounds started, an All-Russian seminar for sambo referees, coaches and specialists, working with visually impaired sportsmen, was held. During the seminar participants of Russian Championships attended a lecture on anti-doping legislation.

The following officials and sportsmen took part in the solemn opening ceremony: International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) executive member and president of Federation of Sports for the Blind Lidia Abramova, All-Russian Sambo Federation commission for sambo development among the blind and visually impaired chairman Roman Novikov, vice-president of Federation of Sports for the Blind Yuri Zhukov, ex UFC fighter Nikita Krylov, All-Russian Sambo Federation Tyumen Region branch chairmen  Nikolai Mytsik and president of the «Sambo for the blind» charity fund Natalia Novikova.

During the opening ceremony Lidia Abramova said, that she had been expecting fair competition and spectacular fights. The tournament`s main referee Viktor Ignatenko read out the welcome letters from International Sambo Federation (FIAS) president Vasily Shestakov and All-Russian and European Sambo Federations president Sergey Eliseev.

It`s worth mentioning that Russian national anthem was performed on saxophone by Sergey Sinitsyn, chairman of the regional commission for sambo development among the blind and visually impaired in the Moscow Region Sambo Federation.

The competition in the final fights was fierce, as the winners became the first champions of Russia among the blind in the history of sambo, the first national team among the blind was also formed in accordance with the results of this tournament.

The fights were extremely tense, rivals argued over the points, referees had to stop fights and watch video replays on the monitor. However, the tournament hosts still point out, that despite strong competition, the atmosphere was still friendly. Sambo wrestlers did their best to achieve victory, struggling to the very end.

According to the organizing committee, the largest number of wrestlers was in the under 74 kgs weight category, there the competition was particularly close. Most of the fighters, competing in this weight category, were highly experienced. Contests were also very close in the under 100 kgs weight category, athletes delighted the audience with a number of spectacular fights.

In the under 62 kgs weight category specialists were particularly impressed by the Dagestani wrestlers, who had displayed considerable sambo skills and will to victory.

The fights among women were just as close, despite the weaker competition, resulting from the smaller number of participants.

President of Federation of Sports for the Blind Lidia Abramova and the partners of the Championships (representatives of the «Ray-Sport» and «NAKOVER» companies) took part in the awarding ceremony, handing memorable gifts to the winners in the process.

The youngest participants and their coaches also received special gifts from International and All-Russian Sambo Federations.

List of winners and prize takers of the Russian Sambo Championship among the blind.

Men

52 kgs: 1^st place – Aleksandr Tiukavkin, the Khabarovsk Territory; 2^nd place – Тюкавкин Александр, Хабаровский край; 2 место – Sakhil Aliev, Moscow.

57 kgs: 1^st place – Shamil Isaev, the Republic of Dagestan; 2^nd place – Vladimir Karpeev, the Republic of Udmurtia; 3^rd место – Anatoly Dobrynin, the Saratov Region; Anatoly Kropalev, the Republic of Crimea.

62 kgs: 1^st place – Said Shakhmanov, the Republic of Dagestan; 2^nd place – Zaur Dzhabrailov, the Republic of Dagestan; 3^rd place – Yuri Volodin, the Orel Region; Maxim Nagiev, Moscow.

68 kgs: 1^st place – Artem Merkulov, Ufa; 2^nd place – Viktor Rudenko, the Khabarovsk Territory; 3^rd place – Abdul Magomedrasulov, the Republic of Dagestan; Omar Abdurakhmanov, the Republic of Dagestan.

74 kgs: 1^st place – Vasily Kutuev, the Khabarovsk Territory; 2^nd place – Ainur Yamalov, Ufa; 3^rd place – Andrei Demidov, the Rostov Region; Islam Ibragimov, Moscow.

82 kgs: 1^st place – Zelimkhan Surakatov, the Republic of Dagestan; 2^nd place – Shakhban Kurbanov, the Republic of Dagestan; 3^rd place – Shamil Magomedov, the Republic of Dagestan; Shakhban Magomedov, the Republic of Dagestan.

90 kgs: 1^st place – Vladimir Fedin, Moscow; 2^nd place – Islam Dzhalilov, the Republic of Dagestan; 3^rd place – Saado Abdurakhmanov, the Republic of Dagestan; Airat Khamitov, the Republic of Dagestan.

100 kgs: 1^st place – Anatoly Shevchenko, the Krasnodar Territory; 2^nd place – Malik Kurbanov, the Republic of Dagestan; 3^rd place – Ilias Magomedov, the Republic of Dagestan; Sergei Galanin, Tomsk.

100+ kgs: 1^st place – Pavel Morozov, Tyumen; 2^nd place – Vasily Cherepanov, the Khabarovsk Territory.

Women

48 kgs: 1^st place – Aigul Faizullina, the Ulyanovsk Region; 2^nd place – Linda Gabdrashitova, Perm.

52 kgs: 1^st place – Alina Aitbaeva, Ufa; 2^nd place – Irina Yakimova, Perm.

56 kgs: 1^st place – Natalia Ovchinnikova, Perm; 2^nd place – Irina Frolova, Moscow.

60 kgs: 1^st place – Irina Bikbaeva, Ufa.

64 kgs: 1^st place – Ekaterina Buzmakova, the Sverlovsk Region.

68 kgs: 1^st place – Olga Zabrodskaya, the Ulyanovsk Region.

72 kgs: 1^st place – Liana Khairullina, the Republic of Tatarstan.

80 kgs: 1^st place – Tatiana Savostianova, Moscow.

80+ kgs: 1^st place – Irina Kalianova, Moscow.

Hosts of the Russian Sambo Championships among the blind: Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation, All-Russian Sambo Federation, International Blind Sports Federation, Moscow Sambo Federation, «Sambo for the blind» charity fund.

Hosts and all blind or visually impaired sambo wrestlers also express their gratitude to the partners of the Russian Sambo Championships among the blind: owner of the «Vityaz Fight» fitness clubs Eduard Filbger has been supporting sambo competitions among the blind all the time, the «Ray-Sport» and «NAKOVER» companies provided equipment and prizes for medalists, while the «Ostankino» hotel provided accommodation and top-class services and also gave discounts to the championships participators.  

The full version of the Russian Sambo Championships among the blind broadcast will be available on FIAS website soon.

Written by Roman Novikov

Videos provided by Ilya Muravnik