#BackToWrestling

With Eye on Safety, Lithuania Returns to Practice Mats

By United World Wrestling Press

VILNIUS, Lithuania (May 22) -- With few cases of COVID-19 nationwide, Lithuania's top wrestlers are returning to the mat, albeit with safety precautions in place. 

Lithuania has only seen 1600 total cases of COVID-19 and 60 deaths. Despite the lower numbers the wrestling federation and the athletes are taking every precaution they can to ensure the health and safety of the wrestlers on the mat. The new guidelines for practice includes increased cleaning protocols, temperature checks, hand sanitization and face masks (for anyone not actively wrestling).

Athletes’ Commission member Mindaugas EZERSKIS mentioned the practices during Monday's Athlete Webinar with the commission and UWW President Nenad Lalovic. Ezerskis said the team is training during the week and taking weekends off with a focus on preparing for the Olympics and Olympic Qualification events. 

You can watch the full video, here.

#Grappling

Grappling: Astana to host 2024 World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 23) -- The 2024 Grappling World Championships will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan from October 7 to 12.

The World Championships of all age-groups -- U15, U17, U20, senior and veteran -- will be conducted in the Kazakhstan capital which hosted the 2023 Asian Championships. Specific details of the World Championships will be shared later by UWW.

The 2023 World Championships were held in Warsaw, Poland and saw some of the incredible battles on the mat in Grappling Gi and Grappling No Gi styles.

Astana has the experience of hosting various United World Wrestling competitions and the Grappling World Championships will add to the rich combat sports culture of the city.

Apart from the World Championships, the senior Pan-Am Championships in Grappling will be in held in Miranda, Venezuela on June 15-16.

For the full list of events on the Grappling calendar and all other styles can be accessed at uww.org/events.