#UnitedWorldWrestling

Cuba’s Trujillo Diaz honored with IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 09:29 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 24) — Wrestling coach Raul TRUJILLO DIAZ (CUB) received the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award on Monday during a ceremony at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The award was presented by IOC President Kirsty COVENTRY and Sergii BUBKA, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission.

Trujillo Díaz has been one of the key figures in the inexorable rise of Cuba as one of the leading nations in Greco-Roman, with more than 52 years of coaching experience. He coached the Cuban and Portuguese national teams across five editions of the Olympic Games.

Cuba

“I am very honoured to receive this extraordinary recognition, Trujillo Diaz said. “I would like to thank the IOC, all the athletes I have coached over the past 50 years, the other wrestling coaches and people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the sport to which I have dedicated my life. All were my motivation and example. I also want to take the opportunity to thank United World Wrestling (UWW). And a big thank-you to someone very special who has always been with me – my family – for their great support.”

One of the legends he has trained is five-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), who at Paris 2024 became the first athlete in any sport to win five consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same event. Others who have been trained by Trujillo Diaz are Rio 2016 champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) and Luis ORTA (CUB), the 60kg champion at Tokyo 2020.

As well as introducing training innovations that have helped lead his nation to success, Trujillo Díaz has published numerous research papers and articles on wrestling science and pedagogy. He has also worked widely for UWW across Latin America as an educator, bringing the breadth of his knowledge and experience to new generations of athletes and coaches.

Alongwith Truillo Diaz, volleyball coach Lang PING also received the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award.

"It's really special to be here with all of you and to celebrate our two coaches for their incredible commitment and their lifetime of work in serving their athletes to become the best athlete, but also the best humans that they can be," said IOC President Kirsty Coventry during the ceremony. "So many of us who compete in sport know and understand that the lessons that we learn in sport will guide us in our everyday life after and this is where the role of coaches is so important,” she added.

#Grappling

Genge strikes double gold for Great Britain at U20 World Grappling Championships

Friday, October 11, 2024 - 16:18 By Vinay Siwach

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan (October 10) -- Great Britain has not participated in the World Grappling Championships for the last 16 years. But Elizabeth GENGE (GBR) ended that trend and won double gold at the U20 World Grappling Championships in Astana.

Genge won gold medals in the 64kg weight class, both via submission. In Grappling, she defeated Adrianna MAZUR (POL) via submission, and in Grappling Gi, she defeated Veronika KARAKHONOVA (AIN) in the final.

Participating in her first Grappling World Championships, the 20-year-old Genge won all her bouts in two competitions via submission. Only Veronika KARAKHONOVA (AIN) could hold Genge to a decision victory.

Genge is the British champion in wrestling and has participated in the Faltz Open as well, finishing fifth this year.

Overall, Kazakhstan emerged as the best team in the U20 World Grappling Championships. Like the U17 event, Kazakhstan won all bout team titles -- two in men's and two in women's. 

RESULTS

Men's U20 Grappling Gi

58kg
GOLD: Iskander YULDASHEV (KAZ) df. Sargis VIRABYAN (ARM), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Bohdan CHORNEI (UKR) df. Alikhan KHAIRLIYEV (KAZ), 3-2
BRONZE: Ilia ABRAMENKO (AIN) df. Daniel GONZALEZ (ESP), 5-2

62kg
GOLD: Bekzat KAZTAYEV (KAZ) df. Emil VERDIYEV (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Magomed IUSUPOV (AIN) df. Wassim CHAINE (FRA), 4-4
BRONZE: Andrii TSVYK (UKR) df. Javier FRANCO (ESP), via submission (2-2)

66kg
GOLD: Nursultan KUSHTARBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Mani GRIMAUDO (FRA), 8-2

BRONZE: Vincenzo BUSSOLOTTI (ESP) df. Gafur UZHAKHOV (KAZ), 3-3
BRONZE: Nurassyl TURUSPEKOV (KAZ) df. Tigran GHAZAKHYAN (ARM), via submission (5-2)

71kg
GOLD: Said ZAIPULAEV (AIN) df. Elman ASGAROV (AZE), 7-5

BRONZE: Maksim KURZHONKOV (AIN) df. Vladyslav SIZOV (UKR), 13-7
BRONZE: Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE) df. Kacper GARCZYNSKI (POL), 5-2

77kg
GOLD: Natan SAP (POL) df. Denis SHELUKHANOV (AIN), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Suleiman MAMUTOV (UKR) df. Karim ADEM (FRA), 6-2
BRONZE: Imam AMAGAEV (AIN) df. Renat BOCHKARYOV (KAZ), 4-0

84kg
GOLD: Pawel JAWORSKI (POL) df. Dzhabrail ISRAPILOV (AIN), via submission (7-2)

BRONZE: Maxat TOLENDI (KAZ) df. Didar NURTASSOV (KAZ), via submission (2-0)
BRONZE: Arslan GADZHIEV (AIN) df. Lorinc NAGY (HUN), 2-0

92kg
GOLD: Stefan LOBODA (ROU) df. Aliiar NAGIEV (AIN), 2-1

BRONZE: Ilyas ABDULLAYEV (KAZ) df. Andrei LIASHKO (AIN), 0-0
BRONZE: Ivan POREMCHUK (UKR) df. Nurassyl UTEPOV (KAZ), via submission (0-2)

100kg
GOLD: Yevhenii MURADOV (UKR)
SILVER: Ibrahim MANARBEK (KAZ) 
BRONZE: Ruslan HRUSHEUSKI (AIN)

130kg
GOLD: Ivan BELIAEV (AIN)
SILVER: Arystan AITMOLDIN (KAZ)
BRONZE: Khalimalav BAZIKHOV (AIN)

Women's U20 Grappling Gi

49kg
GOLD: Zhibek KULUMBETOVA (KAZ) df. Yuliia ZASULSKA (UKR), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Arina ZHIGACHEVA (AIN) df. Gaukharay YERSEIIT (KAZ), 9-6

53kg
GOLD: Radomira OSTANINA (AIN)
SILVER: Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL)
BRONZE: Evelina FLORIAK (UKR)

58kg
GOLD: Nuraiym MUNAITBAS (KAZ) df. Alva PANNWITZ (GER), via submission (2-0)

BRONZE: Nuraiym RUSLANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Ailin SANTANA (ESP), 7-3
BRONZE: Maria BARNA (POL) df. Aruzhan MARATOVA (KAZ), via submission (10-2)

64kg
GOLD: Elizabeth GENGE (GBR) df. Adrianna MAZUR (POL), via submission (7-0)

BRONZE: Veronika KARAKHONOVA (AIN) df. Raushan ABDIGAZY (KAZ), via submission (9-0) 

71kg
GOLD: Aleksandra PLEMIASHOVA (AIN)
SILVER: Yerkezhan YERLANOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Maja SALAMON (POL)

90kg
GOLD: Vlada BOIAKHCHIEVA (AIN) df. Hanifa EIVAZI (IRI), 19-2

Men's U20 Grappling

58kg
GOLD: Sargis VIRABYAN (ARM) df. Ilia ABRAMENKO (AIN), via submission (4-2)

BRONZE: Illia SHTANKO (UKR) df. Sharah NADAKKAV (IND), via submission (2-0)
BRONZE: Bohdan CHORNEI (UKR) df. Bakdaulet AUYEZ (KAZ), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: Andrii TSVYK (UKR) df. Adil IKHLAZOV (FRA), via submission

BRONZE: Madiyar SERIKBAY (KAZ) df. Omar MEDZHIDOV (AIN), 3-0
BRONZE: Wassim CHAINE (FRA) df. Rakhat ZHAXYBAYEV (KAZ), via submission (2-1)

66kg
GOLD: Said ZAIPULAEV (AIN) df. Vincenzo BUSSOLOTTI (ESP), 6-1

BRONZE: Gafur UZHAKHOV (KAZ) df. Duta SETURIDZE (GEO), 10-2
BRONZE: Nursultan KUSHTARBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Tigran GHAZAKHYAN (ARM), via submission (11-0)

71kg
GOLD: Magomedrasul BOLOTSILAEV (AIN) df. Zhassulan ZHETPISBAY (KAZ), 6-0

BRONZE: Artem KHVAN (KAZ) df. Bilel BOULAMA (FRA), via submission (5-2)
BRONZE: Kacper GARCZYNSKI (POL) df. Ethan FORREZ (FRA), 6-4

77kg
GOLD: Daniil TSITSORIN (AIN) df. Andrii SOFRONII (UKR), 7-1

BRONZE: Ouassim ADREUACH (ESP) df. Ilyas SAIDULLAYEV (KAZ), 2-0
BRONZE: Natan SAP (POL) df. Doman VANCSIK (HUN), via submission

84kg
GOLD: Pawel JAWORSKI (POL) df. Dzhabrail ISRAPILOV (AIN), 9-4

BRONZE: Ilyas ABDULLAYEV (KAZ) df. Viktor SHEENKO (AIN), 5-4
BRONZE: Maxat TOLENDI (KAZ) df. Robert STOIAN (ROU), via submission (0-1)

92kg
GOLD: Alikhan TUFANOV (KAZ) df. Nikita BABAEV (AIN), 2-0

BRONZE: Stefan LOBODA (ROU) df. Patryk REKMAN (POL), 2-0
BRONZE: Ivan POREMCHUK (UKR) df. Andrei LIASHKO (AIN), 2-2

100kg
GOLD: Yevhenii MURADOV (UKR) df. Rodrigo BLANCO TERAN (ESP), 10-3

BRONZE: Dmitriy ROMANENKO (KAZ) df. Shyngyskhan TURSUNKHANOV (KAZ), 0-0 

130kg
GOLD: Arystan AITMOLDIN (KAZ)
SILVER: Ivan BELIAEV (AIN)
BRONZE: Dinmukhamed KUANGALIYEV (KAZ)

U20 Women's Grappling

49kg
GOLD: Zhibek KULUMBETOVA (KAZ) df. Yuliia ZASULSKA (UKR), via submission

BRONZE: Arina ZHIGACHEVA (AIN) df. Julia BELTRAN MARUENDA (ESP), 4-3

53kg
GOLD: Radomira OSTANINA (AIN)
SILVER: Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL)
BRONZE: Evelina FLORIAK (UKR)

58kg
GOLD: Maria BARNA (POL) df. Nuraiym MUNAITBAS (KAZ), 10-8

BRONZE: Kenzhe UZBEKOVA (KAZ) df. Maya FLORIAN (ROU), 2-2
BRONZE: Varvara MASHKINA (AIN) df. Nuraiym RUSLANBEKOVA (KGZ), 6-2

64kg
GOLD: Elizabeth GENGE (GBR) df. Veronika KARAKHONOVA (AIN), via submission (11-0)

BRONZE: Adrianna MAZUR (POL) df. Victoria ISIDRO (ESP), via submission (8-0) 

71kg
GOLD: Aleksandra PLEMIASHOVA (AIN)
SILVER: Maja SALAMON (POL)
BRONZE: Yerkezhan YERLANOVA (KAZ)
 
90kg
GOLD: Vlada BOIAKHCHIEVA (AIN) df. Hanifa EIVAZI (IRI), 9-0