The meetings of Mas-Wrestling delegation in Canberra

This meeting was held on behalf of the President of the International Mas-Wrestling Federation, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on the Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Mr. Alexander Akimov.

The delegation included a member of the IMWF Presidium, Lena Tomskaya, who is responsible for major international Mas-Wrestling projects, and Mikhail Pakhomov, whose area of responsibility is the formalization of the IMWF's official documents and the coordination of its activities with the Ministry of Sport of Russia. There was also at the a free style wrestler fr om Yakutia, the European champion, international master of sports Georgy Okorokov, who is now in Canberra at the invitation of the Australian side, where he trains at the Sports Training Center till the end of April.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Australia was represented by the First secretary Mr. Konstantin Kirillin and attaché Ms. Maria Fedotova.

Mas-Wrestling specialists briefly described the activities of their organization, participation of the athletes fr om Australia and New Zealand in international Mas-Wrestling competitions, short-range plans for cooperation. The main topic of the conversation was the discussion of the results of the international tournament on the new Russian sport held this weekend in Melbourne within the framework of the continental version of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sports festival. The sides highly appreciated its results, especially noting the appearance of the main organizer of the festival on the site of Mas-Wrestling and his interest shown during the match of athletes from New Zealand.

At the stage of preparation of the event Ms. Maria Fedotova was doing everything possible to ensure that Russian sports managers will come to work together with their colleagues in Australia. The International Mas-Wrestling Federation thanks Maria for effective assistance and is looking forward for further cooperation.

Summarizing the meeting, both sides approved the initiative and expressed hope that next year such an event will bring together athletes from different countries of the world, and will contain cultural components that represent the motherland of Mas-Wrestling - Yakutia, which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the cooperation between Australia and Russia in the field of sport and culture.

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The Mas-Wrestling Federation of Australia and Oceania has been operating since 2013. It is headed by Carl Justin Waitoa. He personally took part in one of the stages of the World Cup in 2013 in St. Petersburg, then in the World Cup in 2014 in Yakutsk. Thanks to his support, Mas-Wrestling federations were established in Brisbane (Australia) and Oakland (New Zealand).

Last year, four mas-wrestlers from the Pacific region took participated in the Kolmar Cup at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok: Dave Napper and Timothy Osh from Brisbane, Syed Vanderberg and Zhan Matene from New Zealand. Moreover, Zhan have visited Russia twice - as a participant of the World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi and as a participant of the final stage of Mas-Wrestling World Cup 2017 in Moscow.

After the meeting with the staff of the Russian Embassy, the delegation has visited the Sports center wh ere their famous countryman trains. It was interesting to see him train that day.  Athletes were divided into two teams and played football on a large field. Mikhail Pakhomov as great fan of this game could not resist joining the trainees. The team he joined won with a score of 8:7. After the training there was a meeting with the Australian freestyle wrestling coach Konstantin Ermakovich, which voluntarily assists the young Russian wrestler at the initial stage. Konstantin told us about the nuances of sports life in Australia. We were surprised to find out that the state supports only a few number of sports, mostly water sports and team sports. For example, the Government invests significant amounts in the development of swimming, cricket, rugby and football. Those which are not included in this list are not financed at all and develop only with help of enthusiasts who train or participate in competitions absolutely free of charge during their spare time and they invest their personal means. Even the Olympic Games are attended by the athletes at their own expense. Champions and prize-winners are rewarded symbolically. Mas-Wrestling is no exception. And we very much appreciate the efforts of our colleagues from Australia and New Zealand and are grateful for their friendship and devotion to our common cause.