Webinar

Webinars for the Week of Aug 4-8

By United World Wrestling Press

Title:  Coaching Skills
Date:  Tuesday, 4 August
Time:  20:00 (Zurich) – 14:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Pedro ROJAS
Language:  Spanish
Target Audience:  Local and National Coaches
Zoom link:  https://zoom.us/j/98533965328

Title:  Controlling the Bout - Referees
Date:  Wednesday, 5 August
Time:  14:00 (Zurich) – 8:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Norovard ARUSTAMYAN
Language:  Russian
Target Audience:  National and International Referees
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99220705941

Title:  Coaching Skills
Date:  Thursday, 6 August
Time:  14:00 (Zurich) – 8:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Vladimir SHATSKYKH
Language:  Russian
Target Audience:  Local and National Coaches
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/97322511991

Title:  Active Wrestling and Criteria for Passive Wrestling (GR)
Date:  Thursday, 6 August
Time:  14:00 (Zurich) – 8:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Norovard ARUSTAMYAN & Roman PAVLOV
Language:  Russian
Target Audience:  National and International Referees & National Coaches
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/91676038879

Title:  Active Wrestling and Criteria for Passive Wrestling (GR)
Date:  Thursday, 6 August
Time:  16:00 (Zurich) – 10:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Kamel BOUAZIZ
Language:  French
Target Audience:  National and International Referees & National Coaches
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/96696325344

Title:  Active Wrestling and Criteria for Passive Wrestling (GR)
Date:  Thursday, 6 August
Time:  18:00 (Zurich) – 12:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Carlos GARCIA & Abraham GALVA
Language:  Spanish
Target Audience:  National and International Referees & National Coaches
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/94714591491

Title:  Controlling the Bout - Referees
Date:  Friday, 7 August
Time:  17:00 (Zurich) – 11:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Carlos GARCIA
Language:  Spanish
Target Audience:  National and International Referees
Zoom link:  https://zoom.us/j/99788891015

Title:  Basic Point Scoring
Date:  Saturday, 8 August
Time:  16:00 (Zurich) – 10:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Kamel BOUAZIZ & Sherif HALAWA
Language:  Arabic
Target Audience:  National and International Coaches
Zoom link:  https://zoom.us/j/91930064452

 

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."