In this case calling it ‘tough’ doesn’t mean ‘hard’ but being heavier than 95kg. Not every duel was a real duel, some of the players simply threw down their arms to the future winner.

In all in +95kg class eleven men took part. A great chasm between the first one, then Alexey Semerenko- the only one who tried to establish the fight with Andrey. None of the players could even reach the first two. Igor Miroshnik (the Ukrainian living and training in Poland) played a role of a cycler who makes it impossible for anyone to reach the group of running away and jump on the podium. He was successful and lost only with the silver medalist which made him reach the lowest step of the podium. The rest were fighting relentlessly and sternly but only for fourth, fifth and sixth place.

According to what Igor Mazurenko announcement and a plan of the authorities of the Ukrainian Armwrestling – the first four were invited to this year’s NEMIROFF WORLD CUP. So in Warsaw we’ll see Pushkar, Semerenko, Miroshnik and Vladislav Batozhnyj for sure.

Getting back to Igor Miroshnik – he started in ‘plus’ class although his natural weight is a little over 95kg. If he had decided to lose a little weight, he would have been able to become second or even first. But he decided to

Andrey and Alexey to learn who much he has to do. I think, it will come up roses.

Scores: +95 kg

1. PUSHKAR ANDREY

2. SEMERENKO ALEXEY

3. MIROSHNIK IGOR

4. BATOZHNYJ VLADISLAV

5. IONOV DMITRY

Open fights were much harder and fierce than in other classes. Almost as the players had just juiced up and saved all their strength for this particular moment. And again, the first two were out of reange. And  Andrey showed his huge predominance over Semrenko again. But Alexey didn’t intend to give up and selling of tickets for the fight of these two players at NEMIROFF 2012 may already get started.

The third at Lion Cup - Fitmax Challenge 2012 was Aliaksandr Berdnikovich, who was only fourth in his (-95 kg) class. Did he rolled over the fight for the podium in his weight class mindfully, to be third in open? If so, it was a good decision. Especially because the whole list of open class result could move one place up. How? It’ll become one of the legend of our sport. Well, while signing in Semerenko said that he will take part in open. And then, he changed his mind. The effect was that his name wasn’t on the starts list. After the end of (fortunately) a few fights, Alexey asked the organizers why they don’t call him. And a little confusion was created. Fortunately a statutory remedy was found and Sem could fight not ruining the ladder.

Three women fought in 55kg class. The one who easily won was of course Viktorya Ilyushina, the second was Anna Hranatova, who normally fights in -50kg. the third – equally pretty and smiled as the first two, was Lesya Gryncishyn. I recommend players from Poland to take part in Lvov Cup next year. It’s not so far, especially from Grudziadz… only the weight classes need to be agreed upon and let’s go!

In the lightest men class, there were 21 one of them willing to win medals and it has to be admitted that it wasn’t easy for Alexander Rassokhin. The representative of the organizers’ team, the son of Bogdan Ivanitskyego – Igor fought a tough duel with him in the cup-final. But the differences of the level between the players weren’t so big in this class. The fights were fast, as it usually happens when the players carry together less than 126kg on the platform. The Polish referee Piotr Szczerba had some problems with ‘light’ ones. Generally the players were strong and determined. But it was not so good in case of the technique, especially while setting, and in case of knowing the regulations. But we need to remember that among 21 players there were many hardly experienced onse and debutants.

“In seventy” the first four with the invitation to World Cup were Sergey Melnyk, Vladyslav Dzisyak, Mihailo Novak and Borys Trygub.

78kg class could have been really international one due to Groch brothers, who were the only Poles accompanying the referee Piotr Szczerba who came to Lvov. Darek fought really great and were going straight towards the podium, standing out among thirty players. Unfortunately he finished on the 4^th place. There was some chaos in this class – due to the players themselves. Suddenly the one, called as the preparing one, so the one who was supposed to fight in a moment with someone else (it’s really complicated). The effect was that Darek, when he thought that it had been the end of eliminations and he had already reached the semi-final, got to know that he had to take part in one more fight. It’s hard to say if he lost because he had already relaxed or because his opponent was simply unreachable. In my opinion more Poles should go to Lvov next year.

The following Ukrainian representatives in 78kg class will come to Warsaw to NEMIROFF WORLD CUP: Mger Musaelian, Leonid Tsyba, Vitalij Koposev, Volodymir Naumec.

The next classes so 86, 95 kg warmed up the audience. And as Igor Mazurenko said at the beginning “It’ll be a slaughter!” – and it really was. Some of the fights lasted about 90 seconds and they were the seconds of danger, seconds of desperate attacks and defenses, strength, strength and once more strength combined with great ambition of players.

As the representatives of Ukraine such players as Eduard Serdyuk, Jurij Plahta, Eduard Matiash, Igor Paseka, Ruslan Koran will appear in Poland (in 86kg class). In 95kg the first four were: Maksim Tereshchuk, Anton Kalyazin, Rostislav Matiash, Aliaksandr Berdnikovich.

General impression

Place – hospitable, smiled hosts, high level organization.

Term – there’s no point in combining, there’s always something ‘before’ or ‘after’ certain tournaments. It’s getting much crowded in the Armwrestling calendar. So let it be August.

The sports level – various, from Champions to debutants.

Lvov – a city worth being seen!

More in the photo gallery, see it!

PeSzy