Arctic mas-wrestling. The beginning
Roman Dmitriev, after the successful completion of his sports career, as an outstanding statesman, directed his energy to the promotion of Yakut national sports in the Russian regions and brought mas-wrestling to the federal level. He attracted world-class sports stars, high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Sports and the Russian Olympic Committee, the Committee for National and Non-Olympic Sports, and the Sports Training Center to popularize mas-wrestling. With his direct participation, the first Russian mas-wrestling Championships were held in Moscow: in 2005 at the Russian State University of Physical Culture and Sports in weight categories and in 2007 the absolute championship of the country in the center of the capital, next to Red Square, in front of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.
Mas-wrestling became an accredited all-Russian sport in Russia only ten years ago - on February 20, 2015, Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov presented an official document on its recognition. The All-Russian and International Mas-wrestling Federation create all conditions for the growth of athletes involved in mas-wrestling. Today we can be proud of 118 masters of sports of Russia in mas-wrestling, 16 «internationals» and 3 honored masters of sports, two of whom come fr om Yakutia and are four-time world champions. Yakut sports are practiced in 62 countries around the world. Amazing result, isn't it? It is a pity that Roman Mikhailovich left us too early and did not have time to see the fruits of his efforts. But his work lives on! We continue it with honor. This time, the delegation of the International Mas-wrestling Federation arrived at the homeland of Roman Mikhailovich with far-reaching plans – to mark the beginning of Arctic mas-wrestling.
School mas-wrestling competitions in Zhigansk were held in the new multifunctional sports hall named after Olympic champion Roman Dmitriev and became a bright, memorable event for everyone. The organizers of the tournament by support of the acting head of the district Dmitry Tatarinov, were the director of sports complex Konstantin Ovchinnikov, and the director of the secondary school Lyubov Koryakina.
The high organizational level of the tournament is evidenced by the composition of the Grand Jury. The Chief Referee and main sponsor of the tournament was international mas-wrestling refree Egor Ermolaev, an unquestioned authority in all countries wh ere mas-wrestling is practiced. Egor Innokentievich led the panel of refrees at almost all championships and World Cups, at the most significant international mas-wrestling tournaments, including Arnold Schwarzenegger sports festivals. His activities are closely followed by like-minded people in Australia, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, the USA and Canada, in different countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. Because everyone knows that if Egor Ermolaev arrives, everything goes smoothly and impeccably. The Chief Secretary was Aina-Katerina Anufrieva, an employee of the international department for the development of mas-wrestling of the State Budgetary Institution of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) «Republican Center for National Sports named after Vasily Manchaara», who has experience at continental championships and international mas-wrestling tournaments. The director of the sports complex Dmitry Sergeevich personally commented on the competition.
53 schoolchildren of different ages fr om secondary schools of the region took part in the Arctic tournament: Zhigansk secondary school – 35 schoolchildren, Kystatyamsk secondary school – 6, Lindinskaya school – 6, Bestyakhskaya – 6.
At the grand opening, Vice-President of the International Mas-wrestling Federation, Honored worker of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) for Physical Culture and Sports Lena Tomskaya had speech of greeting and wishes of success to the participants and organizers on behalf of the special representative of the Head of Yakutia on Arctic issues, President of the International Mas-wrestling Federation Alexander Konstantinovich Akimov. As a sign of gratitude for organizing the Memorial of Olympic Champion Roman Dmitriev, the acting head of the district Dmitry Tatarinov was presented with a signal copy of Alexander Akimov’s book «Mas-wrestling from Sakha Sire: from national sports – to Olympic peaks».
The parade of participants was led by sports veterans who defended the honor of the northern region at the republican mas-wrestling competition. The commander of the parade Ayaal Alexandrov submitted a report to the chief referee, after which the national anthem of the Russian Federation was played by the school choir. The live sound of the ringing voices of 70 children touched everyone present to the core. Tournament participants of different ages took an oath to adequately defend the honor of their school, respect their opponents and fight fair fights, which they demonstrated in front of a large audience. The tournament was commented in three languages at once. Representatives of different nations live together in Zhigansk. In percentage terms, Evenks significantly predominate, then Yakuts and Russians. It’s great that there are a lot of young people.
The village of Zhigansk is small, there are 526 children studying at the school, and a tenth came that day to compete in mas-wrestling. The number of participants may not seem so impressive, but given that the population of the area is a little more than four thousand people, and it is practically not covered by mas-wrestling, for the first tournament, taking into account its prospects, this is not a bad result at all.
You should have seen how happy the young participants were when they entered the fights, how their eyes lit up! And how the audience supported them to the kids! Darina Zharnikova, an 8th grade student, climbed to the highest step of the podium twice that day. Having received a prize for the title of absolute champion from the Municipal Administration, Darina could not contain her emotions and burst into tears in the arms of her friends. Here's what she told us about herself: «I love sports, I do athletics, sometimes I play volleyball. I've heard a lot about mas-wrestling since childhood. My mother Zharnikova Natalya Stepanovna and father Sibiryakov Dmitry Dmitrievich are fans of mas-wrestling. Mom participated in competitions and won prizes, represented her district at the «Manchaary Games» 2013 in the village of Churapcha. It is not surprising that last year I immediately agreed to take part in school mas-wrestling competitions, which were organized by our coach Ayaal Arianovich, wh ere I took first place. In the "Polar Challenge" in the weight category over 60 kg, I also won and decided to try myself in the overall championship. When I became a champion, joy knew no bounds. I really, really liked the tournament. Not because I won, I just really like this sport, it energizes me and motivates me to continue practicing. I would also like to participate in such great tournaments. It would be great if guys from other districts and regions came to us».
After the competition, the organizers exchanged views with the coaches of young athletes. Some of them brought the pupils to the center of the region on «Burans», covering a difficult path through the taiga for hours. It must be admitted that in the Arctic zone of Yakutia, due to their distance from the center, schoolchildren are practically not covered by mas-wrestling, cannot claim prizes in qualifying competitions, and lose motivation and interest in practicing the original Yakut sport. It’s not that cool, right? It is worth paying more attention to the northern districts and thinking through ways to involve Arctic schoolchildren in the training and competitive processes of mas-wrestling, taking into account their living conditions. Every child, regardless of geographical location, has the right to choose a sport and have prospects for growth in it. From all of the above, a logical conclusion suggests itself – to immediately begin active work in this direction, for which it is necessary:
- organize an Arctic mas-wrestling tournament «Polar Challenge» next year with the participation of schoolchildren from the Arctic regions of Yakutia and make it an annual event;
- contact the relevant executive authorities of the republic for support;
- involve a specialized university (Churapcha State University, NEFU Institute of Physical Education and Sports) to provide teaching, training and competitive manuals in schools in the Arctic zone;
- create an educational printing publication and an animated film about mas-wrestling with rules adapted for minor children;
- develop appropriate project and include in federal project «Children of the Arctic»;
- suggest to Olympic champion Pavel Pinigin to head this area, taking into account his activities in the Committee on Indigenous Peoples of the North and Arctic Affairs of the State Assembly of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) «Il Tumen».
The topic of the Arctic can be expanded by including mas-wrestling in the program of the Arctic Winter Games, which are held among the countries of the circumpolar region. The main participants of the Games are Greenland, Canada, Norway, Russia, the USA, Finland, and Sweden. Russia is represented by the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The focus of the Arctic Winter Games is to provide a platform for competitions for northerners, who, due to climatic conditions, lag behind the residents of the South in competitiveness. These Games enhance the self-esteem of the population in northern territories and contribute to social and volunteer movements. They also aim to develop economic, political, and social ties, which fully reflects the missionary activities of the International Mas-Wrestling Federation.
Yes, we can certainly set the following global goals:
- bringing Yakut mas-wrestling to the sports arena of the Arctic zone;
- popularizing mas-wrestling in the countries of the circumpolar region;
- developing and creating a new sports discipline called 'winter mas-wrestling';
- including mas-wrestling in the program of the Winter Olympic Games.
The residents of Zhigansk can rightfully be proud that it was their great compatriot Olympic champion Roman Dmitriev, who launched world mas-wrestling! I would like mas-wrestling to become popular here, as it is a unique treasure of our republic! Mas-wrestling strives to enter the Olympic family, including the Arctic one. Let's work towards this goal together!
Winners and prize winners of the Arctic mas-wrestling tournament
among schoolchildren of the Zhigansk National Evenki District "Polar Challenge"
in memory of Olympic champion R.M. Dmitriev
Boys (2012-2014) 35 kg
1. Andryushchenko Akim - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Gavriliev Viniamin - Bestyakhskaya
3. Oshchepkov Maksim – Zhigansk secondary school
3. Filippov Aleksey - Zhigansk secondary school
Boys (2012-2014) 45+ kg
1. Anisimov Ostap - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Raspopov Bogdan - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Nikolaev Pavel - Lindinskaya
3. Ksenofontov Vyacheslav - Zhigansk secondary school
Girls (2012-2014) 35 kg
1. Nikolaeva Liliya - Lindinskaya
2. Koryakina Aina - Lindinskaya
3. Shadrina Tamara - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Vasilyeva Dinara - Lindinskaya
Girls (2012-2014) 45 kg
1. Karamzina Karolina - Lindinskaya
2. Fedotova Raisa - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Tolmacheva Olesya - Zhigansk secondary school
Girls (2012-2014) 45+ kg
1. Geronik Sofia - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Vasilyeva Mayrada - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Afanasyeva Elena - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Khairulina Laneliya - Zhigansk secondary school
Boys (2010-2011) 45 kg
1. Kornilov Viktor - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Sleptsov Yuri - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Savvin Michil - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Semenov Nikita - Kystatyamsk secondary school
Boys (2010-2011) 50 kg
1. Afanasyev Leonid - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Androsov Stanislav - Bestyakhskaya
3. Antonov Vladimir - Lindinskaya
Boys (2010-2011) 60 kg
1. Fedorov Yuri - Bestyakhskaya
2. Ustinov Evgeniy - Kystatyamsk secondary school
Boys (2010-2011) 70 kg
1. Uvarov Adrian - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Bubyakin Andrey - Zhigansk secondary school
Boys (2010-2011) 70+ kg
1. Fedotov Maxim - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Alekseev Rodiman - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Spiridonov Arylkhan - Bestyakhskaya
Girls (2010-2011) 45 kg
1. Gavrilyeva Vilena - Bestyakhskaya
2. Semenova Dalaana - Kystatyamsk secondary school
Girls (2010-2011) 50 kg
1. Pestryakova Ivanna - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Semenova Aitalina - Zhigansk secondary school
Girls (2010-2011) 55-60 kg
1. Koryakina Dayana - Bestyakhskaya
2. Anisimova Mira - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Vasilyeva Saina - Zhigansk secondary school
Girls (2010-2011) 60+ kg
1. Zharnikova Darina - Zhigansk secondary school
2. Belenkova Anastasia - Zhigansk secondary school
3. Savvina Aleksina - Zhigansk Secondary school
Boys (2008-2009) 60 kg
1. Ivanov Modest - Zhigansk Secondary School
2. Zakharov Sergey - Kystatyamsk secondary school
3. Maksimov Yuri - Zhigansk Secondary School
Boys (2008-2009) 70+ kg
1. Okhlopkov Maksim - Zhigansk Secondary School
2. Khristoforov Mikhail - Zhigansk Secondary School
Girls (2008-2009) 60 kg
1. Okhlopkova Uruidaana - Zhigansk Secondary School
2. Vasilyeva Alexa - Zhigansk Secondary School
All winners and prize-winners received wonderful prizes from sponsors - speakers, headphones, household appliances and much more. The absolute winner Maxim Fedotov won a sleeping coat "Khopoo" from the company "Khotutent", Darina Zharnikova in the same nomination received a multicooker (special prize of the District Administration). It is noteworthy that the awards were made additionally and in various nominations. The main sponsor Egor Ermolaev and entrepreneurs of Zhigansk supported children's mas-wrestling, for which they are deeply esteemed.
