Fourteen Belarusian sambo wrestlers taking part in World Cup in Yerevan
The 2024 World Sambo Cup has kicked off in the capital of Armenia, and 14 Belarusian athletes are among its participants, BelTA reports
Photo: Telegram channel of Belarus’ Ministry of Sports and Tourism
The Belarusian team is represented by 14 athletes at the tournament. On April 4th, Igor Miroevsky (up to 64kg), Vladislav Mardusevich, Vladislav Sayapin (both up to 71kg), Aleksandr Koksha (up to 79kg), Vladislav Norka, Vladimir Batrakov (both up to 88kg), Sergei Lesyak (up to 98kg), Ilya Zhupikov, Dmitry Khokhlov (both over 98kg) and the first ever Belarusian participant in women's combat sambo, Yelizaveta Lapaeva (up to 59kg), will perform at the World Cup. On April 5th, Yevgeny Aleksievich (up to 88kg, combat), Diana Khokhlova (up to 54kg), Karina Shut (up to 80kg), and Valeria Khrushcheva (over 80 kg) will perform at the tournament.
"The Armenian capital is increasingly more often hosting major sambo tournaments, and this year is no exception. I am convinced that the World Cup will be remembered by its participants and fans not only because of its bright and spectacular fights, but also the women's combat sambo discipline. The latter is gradually becoming an integral part of all international competitions," Vasily Shestakov, the President of the International Sambo Federation, said.
Participants of one of the main competitions of the season will compete for 26 sets of medals: seven in men's and seven in women's sports sambo, seven more in men's combat sambo, as well as five in women's combat sambo. The World Cup is a qualifying tournament where participants will be able to score the first points in the ranking of the current season. It will also become a stage for combat sambo wrestlers in the selection for the World Games, scheduled to be held in China in August 2025.
