Sambo seminar for the blind and visually impaired was held in Yalta

by Roman Novikov

Open workout and seminar for blind and visually impaired sambo wrestlers was held in Yalta on March 3. Twelve sight-disabled people took part in the open workout on the base of the secondary school №9.

Anatoly Krapolev, the Head of the Regional Commission for Sambo Development for the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Sambo and Judo Federation of the Republic of Crimea, proposed to hold the event. Andrey Doroganov, the representative of the Stavropol Territory and the medalist of the Russian Sambo Cup among the blind, Andrey Demidov, the head of the Commission for Sambo Development for the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Sambo Federation of the Rostov Region, as well as the sports team among the blind athletes of the Republic of Crimea took part in the seminar. Young participants, who are the students of the special boarding school for the blind and visually impaired in Simferopol, also attended the seminar.

Experienced coaches were the instructors at the seminar. David Gregoryan, the world-class athlete, demonstrated sambo techniques to the regional guests.  Aleksandr Turovsky, the executive officer of the Sambo and Judo Federation of Yalta, worked with the sports team among the blind sambo athletes of the Republic of Crimea and with young sight-disabled athletes.

Vladimir Malov, the head coach of sambo sports team of Yalta, took an active part in the seminar`s organization. At the end of the event, he handed certificate of gratitude for active development and popularization of sambo among the handicapped to Anatoly Krapolev.

Andrey Demidov, the representative of the Rostov Region, shared his impressions of the seminar:

“It is my second visit to Yalta. In Rostov under the supervision of my coach Egor Panteleev, I have been preparing for the Russian Sambo Cup among the blind, which will take place in Moscow on March 19-22. That is why extra training experience, change of scene along with the sea air do me good. In addition, it was very important to witness the development of sambo among the blind in the neighboring region, some points I will keep in mind, - said the athlete. -  There is much to do in the Rostov Region for the development of sambo among the blind. Apet Vardanyan, the President of the Sambo and Judo Federation of the Rostov Region, renders every assistance, for what I`m very grateful. I will be glad to visit Yalta again, many thanks to hosts for everything.

Andrey Doroganov, the representative of the Stavropol Territory, mentioned coaches` competence in seminar organization and warm hospitality on the part of hosts in the Crimea.

“I`d like to hold similar seminars for sight-disabled sambo athletes in the Stavropol Territory, there is much to learn from the Crimeans”, - he pointed out.

Aleksandr Makukha, the chairman of the local organization of All Russia Association of the Blind in Yalta shared his impressions:

“This is a unique sporting event for sight-disabled sambo athletes, the event of this kind and class is held in Yalta for the first time. Sight-disabled athletes need to take part in sports festivals and exhibition fights. It`s an essential part of their rehabilitation by means of physical training and sports. Sight-disabled people often lead a sedentary lifestyle because of their health problems, while sambo gives an impetus to physical development. Our local organization will keep on supporting such sambo sporting events”.

Anatoly Krapolev, the host of the seminar, pointed out:

“To start with, I want to thank the Sambo and Judo Federation of Yalta, particularly Oleg Kopylev, the vice-president of the Federation, for extensive support and assistance! At the seminar, I accomplished two goals: we held a major training for sight-disabled athletes and practiced demo-sambo performances with Andrey Demidov. We are going to demonstrate blind sambo techniques at the opening of the Russian National Sambo Championship among sight-disabled sportsmen. We plan to host such seminars as often as possible;  we`ve also come up with an idea to establish a sambo tournament among sight-disabled sportsmen called “Renaissance”, which is planned to be an open one. Now we are actively preparing for the main national championship among sight-disabled sportsmen and we plan to return home with medals!”

Photos provided by Marina Lagarto