Webinar

Webinars for Week of July 13-17

By United World Wrestling Press

Webinars for Week of July 13-17

Title: Negative Wrestling: Offensive and Defensive foul
Date:  Monday, 13 July
Time:  15:00 - Zurich (UTC+2) – 9:00 (New York) 
Speaker: Antonio SILVESTRI
Language:  English
Target Audience:  National & International Referees & National Coaches
Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/98628074767

Title:  How to cope with COVID19 & how to prepare return to Wrestling
Date:  13 July 
Time:  17:00 (Zurich) – 11:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Dr Babak Shadgan 
Language:  English
Target Audience: Athletes & Coaches 
Zoom link:  https://zoom.us/j/92307807202

Title:  Introducing New Skills (Coach)
Date:  14 July
Time:  14:00 (Zurich) – 8:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Vincent AKA
Language:  French
Target Audience: Local and National Coaches
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/97444594627  

Title:  Referee Positioning
Date:  15 July
Time:  14:00 (Zurich) – 8:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Zach ERRETT
Language:  English
Target Audience:  National & International Referees
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/96996363903

Title:  Introducing New Skills (Coach)
Date:  16 July
Time:  14:00 (Zurich) – 8:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Zach ERRETT
Language:  English
Target Audience:  Local and National Coaches
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/93381353323

Title:  Referee Positioning
Date:  17 July
Time:  17:00 (Zurich) – 11:00 (New York)
Speaker:  Kamel BOUAZIZ
Language:  French
Target Audience:  National and International Referees
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/93338154457

#UWWAwards2022

Akgul Named 2022 Freestyle Wrestler of the Year

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 26) --United World Wrestling has announced Taha AKGUL (TUR) as the 2022 Freestyle Wrestler of the Year after his three title-winning performances in 2022.

Akgul, the three-time world champion, missed out on podium-topping finishing at the World Championships for the last seven years, with his last gold coming in 2015 in Las Vegas. But Akgul rejuvenated his winnings ways in 2022, as he defeated 2021 world champion Amirhossein ZARE (IRI) in the semifinals of the World Championships, before defeating Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), 6-2, to win his third world title.

At the beginning of the season, Akgul won the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series gold with five dominant wins. The 32-year-old followed his promising Istanbul performance up with a sensational European Championships, closing out the competition with a three-point win over his arch-rival Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) to win his ninth European C’ship gold.

The three gold medals in 2022 also pushed Akgul to 68000 ranking points, enough for him to finish on the top of the pile at 125kg.

Akgul, who won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, was asked about the difference between his titles in 2015 and 2022.

"Nothing has changed. I have lost twice in the final in the past, that was very annoying. I would have been world champion five times if that had not happened. If I stay healthy and train well, I can beat everyone,” Akgul had said after winning gold in Belgrade.