Sao Paulo today is the center of attraction of the strongest mas-wrestlers

It should be recalled that the mas-wrestling has been included in the Arnold Sports Festival’s official program since 2014. This global festival is held annually in March in Columbus, Ohio and includes more than 80 sports. The break was only in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The festival has continental branches and our mas-wrestling is included in the Australian and South American versions.

Mas-wrestling competitions at the Arnold Sports Festival South America are being held for the fourth time.  The first time the festival was held in Rio de Janeiro, then it was moved to Sao Paulo.  For clarity, we are attaching a video from last year's tournament https://youtu.be/2j8HlpfG4w0

This year, the International Mas-Wrestling Federation, in order to support the Vice-President of the IMWF and the President of Brazil Mas-Wrestling Confederation, Mr. Vilmar Silva Oliveira, for his many years of work in promoting mas-wrestling, decided to hold the World Mas-Wrestling Championship in the absolute weight category for the first time on the South American continent.

It's no secret that Russian mas-wrestlers always set a tone in world championships.  The bravest and strongest respond to their challenge.  Recall that according to the results of last year's World Championship, held in the homeland of the sport - in Yakutia, the leaders were Tatyana Baisheva from theSakha Republic and Viktor Kolibabchuk from Smolensk region.  They became the first numbers sent to defend the honor of the country across the ocean.  With them, this year absolute champions of Russia, Mokhinur Abduzoyirova and Ivan Galkin from Kaluga region, were supposed to fly with them on the same flight of Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa.

But something went wrong...

Is it worth writing once again that the organization and holding of international sports events is undergoing severe trials these days? The "rules of the game" change hourly.  The first bells sounded when athletes from other countries were denied visas.  Usually open Brazil this year significantly tightened the rules for crossing the state border.  Thus, numerous participants from a number of countries in Asia and Africa were left behind.

In this sense, the Russians, one might say, were lucky and nothing foreshadowed anything unusual.  Until it became clear how unlucky with the airline.

The day before, the current absolute world champion Tatyana Baisheva from Yakutia arrived in Moscow together with the head coach of the national mas-wrestling team.  The rest of the team members are from the central regions.  So we will consider their losses only moral. 

So, just a few hours before departure, they were informed that the flight was postponed for a day for technical reasons.  The airline provided a hotel and, reluctantly, the Russian delegation stayed at Domodedovo airport. 

At this time, an hour and a half later, specialists from the State Budgetary Institution “RCNS of V.  Manchaary” – Head of the International Mas-Wrestling Development Department Vasily Protopopov and member of the Mas-Wrestling Strategic Development Committee, responsible for the continent Igor Galutva headed in direction of South America.  They used the services of Emirates airlines and landed safely in Sao Paulo.  Their air route lay through the capital of the UAE - the city of Dubai and took 5.5 hours, after another 14.5 hours to their destination.  Special thanks to the management of the RCNS and the partner organization "SV-Trans" for the correct selection of the route and the choice of the airline, which, as this case showed, is especially important for connecting and such long flights.

Today there will be a meeting with the organizers from the Brazilian side to further detail the preparations for the two competitions, as according to the plan, after the championship in the absolute category, a traditional tournament for men and women in some weight categories will be held.  Prizes for the winners in the form of silver bars and diamonds are provided by JSC Komdragmetal RS(Y).

But back to the Russian athletes who did not fly out.  The next day, the situation with the postponement of the flight was repeated exactly one hundred percent, which leaves minimal chances for them to participate in the desired starts. 

In the absence of leaders, serious intrigue arises among the rest of the participants.  All athletes are good, choose to taste, as they say.  Introducing men:

 - Prize-winner of the 2018 World Championship, Arnold Classic winner Ricardo Gevard North - Brazil;

 - medalist of the 2022 World Championship Eduardo Domingo Visilla - Argentina;

 - medalist of the 2022 World Championship Abdulhaki Olegbin Ikujor - Togo;

 - winner of the World Cup stage Thiago Fernandos dos Santos - Brazil;

 - participant of the absolute championship in Saudi Arabia and the Championship of the World Nomad Games of Arabia Oscar Andres Melgar Rivero - Bolivia;

 - Washington Lima da Silva - Brazil;

 - Joao Alves de Moraes Filho - Brazil.

Among women, the main contender is Jana Vaskova from Slovakia. The host country of the championship will be represented by Carolina Rombaldi Tomiello Mielke.

All participants of the absolute championship, as well as the organizers, are provided with a single uniform - beautiful bright in the colors of the Brazilian flag T-shirts from JSC "AK" Railways of Yakutia "- the general partner of the International Mas-Wrestling Federation.  The winners and runners-up of the Arnold Mas-Wrestling Tournament will receive the same T-shirt with the sponsor's name on the back along with the Arnold Sports Festival South America logo. 

Follow our news. Fly with Emirates!