#Trnava2018

Betschart Ready to Rewrite Swiss Record Books

By Eric Olanowski

TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 18) - Ramon BETSCHART (SUI) will take the mat Tuesday night with an opportunity to rewrite the Swiss Greco-Roman wrestling books when he competes for his country’s first junior world gold medal. 

His historic Trnava run comes a year after Betschart left Tampere, Finland with a 15th place finish at the 2017 World Championships. “I don’t regret anything from those championships, and not much has changed in my life over the past year. I attribute this year’s success to the recent rules changes. Particularly the par terre rule changes.” 

Prior to his Monday semifinal win, Switzerland's highest Greco-Roman finish came from Thomas ROETHISBERGER at the 1992 World Championships when he finished in fourth place.

“I didn’t know the history behind my semifinals match,” said Betschart. “Walking to the mat, I wasn’t thinking about making history, only concentrating on my match. I was just focused on the match and nothing else. But if it was me or another Swiss wrestler, I would have been happy.”

After his semifinals win, flanked by his Swiss teammates, Betschart said “This is an amazing feeling. It’s pure happiness. I really have no word for how I feel. I just hope I get the gold medal tomorrow.” 

Waking up Tuesday morning, nothing is going to change for Betchart. “Preparation-wise, I’m not going to change anything. Normal preparation and focusing on my warmup is going to be key.”  

Betschart will take on the 2018 Asian junior champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) in the 87kg gold-medal bout. 

 “I know I will wrestle Mohammadhadi Saravi in tomorrow’s finals. But I don’t think much about my opponent. I have my way, the Swiss way, and that’s all I think about.”

If Betschart scores the gold medal on Tuesday night, he’ll join his uncle Hugo DIETSCHE (SUI) in rewriting the Swiss Greco-Roman record books. Dietsche won Switzerland’s first Olympic medal in 36 years when he finished with the bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angles Olympic Games. That 1984 bronze medal still stands as Switzerland’s last Greco-Roman Olympic medal. 

#development

Italy Organizes UWW Level 3 Technical Course for Coaches

By United World Wrestling Press

CESEBATICO, Italy (February 9) -- A United World Wrestling Level 3 Technical Course for coaches was successfully organized in Cesenatico, Italy from January 5 to 9, 2026. The course was organized in collaboration with UWW and the FIJLKAM.

Organised after a international tournament, the course brought together 33 coaches from Italy and other countries, including Germany, Poland, Croatia and Ivory Coast creating a rich environment for technical exchange, professional development and international cooperation.

This tournament provided an important practical framework for the educational programme, allowing coaches to observe real competition situations, analyze match management and technical-tactical aspects, and directly link theoretical learning to high-level competitive practice.

The programme was led by UWW Development Officer Vincent AKA, with practical sessions conducted by Olympic Champion and UWW expert Komeil GHASEMI. The course followed the new UWW education pathway, focusing on advanced coaching competencies for high-performance environments.

Italy

The key topics in the course included coaching philosophy and leadership, advanced planning and periodization, pedagogical situations and match analysis, technical and tactical development, safeguarding, anti-doping and athlete protection and introduction to Beach Wrestling.

Both theoretical and practical evaluations were conducted, allowing participants to apply their knowledge in real coaching situations. At the conclusion of the course, all successful participants were awarded the UWW Level 3 Coaching Certificate.

"I want to thank everyone for this course, for what you did, and for how we got along together," Carmelo RICCARDO, a coach and participant said. "It was a wonderful experience and very interesting course. Thanks to the UWW and FIJLKAM for these important opportunities for growth."

The Italian Wrestling Federation provided high-quality facilities, with classrooms and training venues meeting international standards. All activities were centralized at Villaggio Accademia Cesenatico, ensuring optimal logistical conditions for both learning and training.

The course benefited from the continuous presence of national federation representatives, including the Technical and Sports Directors, as well as the participation of FIJLKAM leadership during the closing ceremony—demonstrating strong institutional commitment to coach education.

After the course, it achieved its educational and development objectives. The combination of high-level technical content, structured evaluations, international expertise, and strong human values.

The course not only strengthened the competencies of participating coaches but also reinforced Italy’s role as a key hub for wrestling education and excellence in Europe, contributing sustainably to the long-term development of the sport.

Sustainability

From a sustainability perspective, the use of the covered stadium contributed to the efficient organization of Beach Wrestling activities by optimizing existing infrastructure. By adapting a multi-purpose covered venue for Beach Wrestling sessions, the organizers limited the need for additional temporary installations, reduced logistical and environmental impact, and ensured continuity of activities regardless of weather conditions.

This approach reflects UWW’s commitment to sustainable event organization through the рационal use of facilities and long-term infrastructure legacy.