#development

Kyrgyzstan hosts 2022 Asia More Than Medals camp

Wednesday, June 29, 2022 - 11:35 By United World Wrestling Press

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CHOLPON, ATA, Kyrgyzstan (June 29) --- Aligned with the UWW strategy that is focusing on youth development, the 2022 More Than Medals U17 training camp Asia was held in Cholpon Ata, Kyrgyzstan from 23rd to 30th of June.

Eight countries, 50 wrestlers and coaches took part in this camp. Among them, six U17 Asian Championships gold medalists and one silver medalist.

Mirlan Amatbekov, Bureau member of the Wrestling Federation of The Kyrgyz Republic on behalf of the federation presented at the camp opening on the 23rd of June.

The Anti-Doping seminar was carried out by Zhagul Nazirbaeva from the national Anti-Doping agency on the 25th of June. The seminar was centered on general Anti-Doping rules, rights & responsibilities of athletes & coaches (rules for minors and adults), testing procedure, and clean sport values, ethics.

Aisulu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) joined the camp as the ambassadors on the 25th and 28th of June and shared their techniques and experience with the youngsters and encouraged them to further pursue their dreams in wrestling.

A fun activity-day was organized with the support of the Wrestling Federation of The Kyrgyz Republic. The traditional Kyrgyz culture and the nomad life were introduced, and the young athletes had a chance to cruise and swim in the famous Issyk Kul lake.

This camp once again marked the success of the continued More than Medals program that United World Wrestling has been offering to the young athletes since 2017.

KGZCamp attendees pose together for a group photo. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

‘We are very happy to join this More than Medals Asian camp in Cholpon Ata, we learnt a lot during this camp and hope to enhance our performance in the upcoming championships. The hospitality and the organization of this camp was amazing. On behalf of the Indian wrestling federation coaches and athletes, we are very thankful for United World Wrestling organize such high standard camp.’ Shyam Budaki, wrestling coach of India.

‘I like this training camp very much. A big thank you to United World Wrestling for giving me such a great experience. We learn a lot of wrestling techniques from each other and made friends with participants from other countries, we will be missing each other.’ Nurudinova Aidai, women’s wrestling 53kg athlete from Kyrgyzstan.

As part of United World Wrestling’s commitment in advancing wrestling development in youth, the More Than Medals program has been resumed after 2 years of the COVID pandemic. The program aims at delivering high-level training camps at continental and world levels with added social, cultural activities, Anti-Doping education, nutrition advice, leadership skills and more.

‘This age period has the highest dropout rate for young athletes, and the More than Medals program aims to keep these athletes in wrestling and help them realize their full potential as wrestlers. More importantly, the theme ‘fun and friendship’ runs through the program, after all, these athletes are all under 17 years of age.’ Deqa Niamkey, UWW Development Director, ‘We invested a lot in youth development with an aim to secure the future of wrestling.’

KGZMore Than Medals attendees spend time together off the mat. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

A special thank you to the Wrestling Federation of The Kyrgyz Republic for hosting such an amazing camp for the U17 athletes from all over Asia.

The More Than Medals World training camp will be organized in Rome from the 1st to 7th of August.

#WrestleAthens

Olympic legend Icho returns to Athens to lead Japan’s next generation

Sunday, August 3, 2025 - 09:59 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- In Athens, home of the Olympics, Kaori ICHO (JPN) is already one of the pantheon of greats.

Having once made history as an athlete here -- winning the first of four Olympic gold medals at the 2004 Olympics -- Icho now sets out to carve a new legacy, this time as coach to the next generation of Japanese talent.

In Athens, she is making her international debut as coach of the Japanese women's team at the World U17 Championships as she returns to the Ano Liossia Olympic Sports Hall, the same venue she won the Olympic gold.

"I have returned to this arena for the first time in 21 years," Icho told United World Wrestling. "I won an [Olympic] gold medal in this arena for the first time."

Icho, who ended her wrestling career in 2019, started coaching after the Tokyo Olympics. She has coached Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) domestically as both Morikawa and Icho are recruited with ALSOK.

Japan managed to win only one gold medal in Women's Wrestling at the World Championships and finished third in the team race. While Japan is not used to finishing at that position in Women's Wrestling, the third-place highlighted that even Japan's second-tier team poses a significant challenge to the world.

The presence of Icho definitely helped the wrestlers, who were not only helped by her experience but the presence of the four-time Olympic champion motivated them.

Japan's world champion in Athens, Hanano OYA (JPN), said that watching Icho win her record fourth gold medal in Rio 2016 inspired her to take up wrestling.

"The reason I started wrestling was because of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics," Oya said. "It was when Kaori achieved her fourth consecutive victory, and I saw it on TV. I started wrestling myself, so I was very happy when she accompanied me and acted as my second coach, and I felt that I had to live up to her expectations."

Kaori ICHO (JPN)Kaori ICHO (JPN) coaches one of the members of the Japanese team. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

For Icho, not being on the mat and coaching from the corner was a different experience.

"I feel really strange being able to come back here as a coach," she said. "This tournament is the World Championships for those under 17 years old. I also became an Olympic gold medalist at this venue when I was 20 and I hope that the young athletes will work hard towards their Olympic dreams."

Back in 2004, the first Olympics when Women's Wrestling became part of it, Icho remembered the nervous and the excitement. The enjoyment, however, came only after she had won the gold.

"It was my first Olympics," she said. "I was very nervous and excited. I was here for about two weeks, from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony. After winning, I went swimming in the Aegean Sea. It was a very enjoyable Olympics."

Kaori ICHO (JPN)Kaori ICHO (JPN) during a warm-up session of the Japanese team in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

When she landed at the airport in Athens on Monday, memories from the past came rushing back.

"I don't particularly feel it at the airport, but I wondered if it was this hot," she said. "I wondered what the venue will be like. I was reminiscing about 21 years ago."

Once at the venue, Icho was requested for photos from wrestlers and coaches which she obliged. With her first tournament as coach behind her, Icho is determined to work even harder as she prepares the senior Japan team for the World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, this September.

"Coaches and players asked me to take pictures with them," she said. "I felt stronger coming here. I want to work harder as a coach."