The First SAMBO Tournament among Visually Impaired Boys and Girls was held In Russia

On December 10 “The First ‘Sports For The Blind’ Traditional SAMBO Tournament Among Late Teenage Boys And Girls Born in 2003-2004” was held at remedial boarding-school for visually impaired in Laishevo (The Republic Of Tatarstan).

The tournament welcomed 30 young sambists from three regions of Russia: The Republic Of Tatarstan, The Mari El Republic and Yekaterinburg. Boys competed in five weight categories, while girls competed in four weight classes.

‘The world`s first SAMBO tournament among visually impaired boys and girls has met the highest organizational standards. I hope that the number of participants in this competition would only grow with each year,’ claimed Roman Novikov, the Head of the Commission for Promotion of SAMBO Among Visually Impaired and Blind of the Russian Federation of SAMBO, a member of the FIAS Committee on Athletes with Disabilities.

He also made a special mention of Rustam Nasibulin who coaches the SAMBO Club at the remedial boarding-school for the visually impaired in Laishevo.

‘This event would never take place without his determination, zeal and enthusiasm. I’m looking forward to seeing more such enthusiastic coaches in Russia in the following years,’ claimed Novikov. ‘Also, such dynamic expansion of SAMBO among visually impaired children appears impossible in the absence of principal interest shared by headmasters of remedial schools. Venera Davlieva, the headmaster of the remedial boarding-school for the visually impaired in Laishevo, sets an excellent positive example. Many heads of remedial schools fear SAMBO as a traumatic sport, although it’s but a common fallacy: there’s a number of sports for the blind where the risk of getting injured proves a great deal higher than in SAMBO.’ 

Viktor Ignatenko, Vice-President of the Moscow Federation of SAMBO, acted as chief referee of the tournament. He noted high skills of contestants and, the most important thing of all, an overwhelming desire of kids to win their fights. Ignatenko made a special reference to those who gave visually impaired boys and girls an opportunity to show their worth on sambist mats.

‘Organizers have tried their best to make this SAMBO festival happen. Support of local authorities is crucial in carrying out such socially significant sport events for visually impaired children. The executive body of Laishevo Region showed a heartfelt attitude to arrangement of this tournament, and this is a pretty worthy example,’ he noted.

Following the results of the competition, champions and prize-winners in their weight categories were awarded with medals and diplomas. In addition, souvenir cups were given to winners in special nominations. Thus, Kirill Borovykh (Yekaterinburg) was noted with “For Will To Win” award, “The Best Technique” cup was given to Nikita Solovyev (The Republic Of Tatarstan), and “The Youngest Participant” trophy went to Alyona Gerasimova (The Republic Of Tatarstan).

All the participants of the tournament were presented with souvenirs from the International SAMBO Federation and the Russian SAMBO Federation. Moreover, each team got a copy of “Sheer Victory” film, provided with typhlo-comments by Georgy Shengelia, the film director. 

The tournament organizers are: the Executive Committee of Laishevo Region, the Republic of Tatarstan (Russia) under the auspices of the Russian SAMBO Federation, SAMBO Federation of the Republic of Tatarstan, and Moscow SAMBO Federation.

Partners of  “The First ‘Sports For The Blind’ Traditional SAMBO Tournament Among Late Teenage Boys And Girls Born in 2003-2004” are: Foundation for Physical Culture and Sports of the Republic of Tatarstan; Gulfia Khanova, Director of Laishevo Affiliate of the “National Insurance Company of Tatarstan”; “Onto The Mat” Company; Azat Gainutdinov, Director General of  the “Rehabilitation and Adaptation Centre” autonomous non-commercial organization, a member of the Civic Chamber of the Respublic of Tatarstan.

The final results of “The First ‘Sports For The Blind’ Traditional SAMBO Tournament Among Late Teenage Boys And Girls Born in 2003-2004” are as follows:

Girls

29 kg

1. Gerasimova Alina (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

2. Gilyazneva Alsu (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

3. Izhboldina Diana (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

41 kg

1. Vorobyeva Darya (The Mari El Republic)

2. Rechkina Elmira (The Mari El Republic)

48 kg

1. Romanova Alyona (The Mari El Republic)

2. Antonova Elizaveta (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

3. Timachyova Arina (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

52 kg

1. Safina Alina (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

2. Ozhiganova Yulia (The Mari El Republic)

Boys

35 kg

1. Reitzenstein Sergei (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

2. Solovyev Arseny (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

3. Nikolaev Maksim (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

38 kg

1. Pakhomov Ruslan (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

2. Galiev Damir (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

42 kg

1. Nigamov Intzaf (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

2. Antonov Daniil (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

3. Borovykh Kirill (Ekaterinburg)

46 kg

1. Bastrakov Aleksandr (The Mari El Republic)

2. Pliaskin Konstantin (The Mari El Republic)

65 kg

1. Solovev Nikita (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

2. Khusainov Dinar (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

3. Volchenko Viktor (The Republic Of Tatarstan)

Team Rank

1. The Republic Of Tatarstan

2. The Mari El Republic

3. Ekaterinburg