#BudaWrestle2018

MEDIA ALERT: Wrestling Press Conference Scheduled for 4pm at Papp László SportArena

By Tim Foley

BUDAPEST (October 20) -- United World Wrestling will host the kickoff press conference for the 2018 Wrestling World Championships Saturday afternoon in the media center of the Papp Laszlo SportArena. The press conference will start immediately following the 3:45pm draw for the 57kg, 65kg, 79kg and 92kg weight categories.

Attendees will include United World Wrestling president Nenad LALOVIC, Hungary National Wrestling Federation president Peter BACSA, and 2013 world champion wrestler Marianna SASTIN (HUN) -- who will be competing this week at 62kg in women’s wrestling.

Nenad LALOVIC (SRB)
United World Wrestling president
IOC Executive Board Member

Peter BACSA (HUN)
Bureau Member, United World Wrestling
President, Hungary National Wrestling Federation

Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Women’s Wrestling, Hungary
2013 World Champion

Sastin, who won the 2013 world championships in Budapest, gave birth to her son Oliver in February. She will be competing at the 62kg weight category Wednesday, October 24 and Thursday, October 25 // STORY

 

#WrestleParis

Olympic champion Focken carries Olympic torch for Paris 2024

By Vinay Siwach

ALSACE, France (June 27) -- Tokyo Olympic champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) was part of the Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday in Alsace, stage 41 of the relay for the 2024 Paris Games.

"It was magical," Focken said. "It was a short run for only a few minutes but I enjoyed it. I felt the Olympic spirit and pride to run with the torch. We were briefed a lot, about the significance of the torch and it's for peace and I felt it all the time. It was special."

The relay began from the European Parliament and then passed in front of the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. It also lit up the city’s covered bridges, the Grande île district, the Alsatian Museum and the Notre Dame gothic cathedral before finishing at Place Kléber, in the city’s heart, where the celebration venue was located.

 

The Olympic Torch Relay continued its voyage through eastern France with a distinctly European tone. In addition to putting the spotlight on the gems of Alsace, the Olympic Torch Relay also highlighted fraternity between people, such as Franco-German links, which were celebrated during an exceptional collective relay on the Three Countries Bridge in Huningue. Another collective relay took place in Strasbourg, dedicated, as each day, to a specific sport.

Focken carried the torch at the start of the three country bridge for 250 metres. The starting point of Focken's run was in Germany while her finish was in France. She then handed over the Olympic Torch to Frenchman Eric Kueny, representative of the host country in Huningue.

Aline FOCKEN (GER)Aline FOCKEN (GER) with the Olympic torch on Wednesday. (Photo: Lewis Joly)

Focken, who won the gold medal in 76kg weight class in Tokyo, became the first woman from Germany to win gold at the Olympics in wrestling. She said her feeling was similar to Olympic Games but she was nervous before the run.

"I was nervous," she said. "It's different and all the TV is around you. I was relaxed but nervous. It was a really special moment and I thought that this may be the last Olympic moment for you so just enjoy it. I took my family with me to the relay."