In Melitopol was held the VI Mas-Wrestling Cup of Ukraine

Unfortunately, the pandemic has made its own adjustments to the conducting of sports events. Mas-Wrestling was no exception. Many teams were unable to participate and send their representatives due to quarantine restrictions in different regions of our country. However, although it was not possible to gather a record number of participants this time, the leadership of the Mas-Wrestling Federation of Ukraine considers the competition successful.

“There were quite a large number of participants. This time 92 athletes took part - noted the president of the Mas-Wrestling Federation of Ukraine Valeriy Gazaev. - A record for us is 123 athletes participating in the Cup of Ukraine, so given all these quarantine circumstances, I was pleased with the result of attendance at these competitions”.

It is gratifying that the lion's share of the competitors were children and juniors. For several years now, the veterans of the Ukrainian national team not only maintain the status of the national federation at a high level in the international arena, but also actively promote sports among children and youth, create clubs and train.

Alexei Kushnir has already climbed to the top of the pedestal in the Ukrainian championships six times, won the Ukrainian Cup several times. However, his own achievements are not enough for Alexei, and he has been coaching children in his native village for 5 years.

“It is very good that I managed to get support fr om the local municipality - Alexei Kushnir tells the secrets of success. - They saw that there are results and helped to acquire a material basis. In the villages, teenagers are struggling to find themselves in this world. It's hard for them, but gradually we together achieve more and more success”.

Yulia Lebedenko helps Alexey in his difficult work, who takes an active part in organizing the team's trips to competitions and in the training process.

Another example of the growth from athletes to functionaries of the federation can be called Alexandra Shvets. A multiple champion of Ukraine and a winner of the World and European Championships. She soon tried on the snow-white uniform of the referee.

“First of all, when you competing personally, you are responsible only for yourself, for your result - Alexandra talks about the refereeing work. - When you are a referee on the platform, you are responsible for all other athletes, make sure not to make a single mistake and give correct marks to the athletes competing”.

Just a week ago, Alexandra undertook to help the head of the Federation's press service and now maintains the accounts of the Mas-Wrestling Federation of Ukraine on social networks. By the way, Alexandra's husband Konstantin also uses all his capabilities to develop Mas-Wrestling. Working in a school as a physical education teacher, he actively promotes this sport among pupils and organized a section for them, wh ere he trains children in his free time.

And sometimes a happy accident brings whole teams into the ranks of the family of mas-wrestlers of Ukraine. However, when systematic work is underway to develop this sport in our country, it is a happy coincidence, perhaps just the result of the painstaking and daily work of the Ukrainian Federation asset.

In 2016, Anatoly Bas, the coach of the “Znamenie” Orthodox team got acquainted with Mas-Wrestling.

“We got acquainted with Mas-Wrestling at the Cup of the Knyaz Vladimir, and this type of wrestling was presented as a separate discipline in this competition” says Uncle Tolya. That’s what they call him pupils. - I met Valeriy Gazaev, Dmitriy Besedin. I tried to compete. I really liked this sport, and I started to train a team that used to go in for kettlebell lifting”.

After several years of preparation, the team of Anatoly Bas takes the first place in the team standings in the Cup of Ukraine 2021. And looking at the excitement with which children are fighting on the platform, and how they are supported by their fellow spectators, one can be calm about the future of mas-wrestling in Ukraine. It is in these children and teenagers, who in a couple of years will join the national team, and the most active will be included in the work and administrative apparatus of the Mas-Wrestling Federation of Ukraine.

At the Cup of Ukraine 19 sets of medals were contested in various age and weight categories. Ahead of the athletes are three stages of the Mas-Wrestling World Cup 2021. And while the athletes post photos with medals, the Federation’s management is already analyzing the performances of the most promising athletes and is engaged in selection for the Ukrainian national team.