HONOUR AND GLORY TO SENIORS AND JUNIORS!

The first day of the European Armwrestling Championships, taking place in a beautiful Lithuanian resort, is behind us.

Although the championships last the whole week, the first two days were devoted to the EAF Congress as well as referees training and meeting. At competitions like this, many referees are needed as the first elimination matches take place at six tables simultaneously. This time, 26 referees came to Lithuania. During the first two days of competition seniors, juniors and disabled athletes compete. On first day left-hand matches are held and on second day, right-hand fights take place. Besides, our readers know it already. It’s just a brief introduction.

You can watch all the elimination, semi-final and final matches on our website and see lots of pictures in our gallery.

So let’s go back to the main topic of this article, which is seniors, juniors and disabled athletes. These two first days of the competition are really important and I wanted to emphasize that.

First of all, there is an amazing contrast between the youngest female competitors and male competitors who barely weigh 50 kg. Yet, I’ve seen a young guy who was forced to run around a flower bed to lose extra 300 grams to fit into his category. It was really funny as I had seen him eating ice-cream on his way to weigh-ins. So we’ve got here tiny girls who fight like adults. Focused and technically well-prepared during their matches, they agian look like good girls leaving the table. At the next table we can see gentlemen who have been in this business for thirty years and weigh over 100 kg, yet they are fighting as if it was their last chance to get a medal.

We can’t forget about competitors in the wheelchairs, or walking on crutches who often are not able to enter the stage by themselves. But when they get there, they are strong, technically good and endure.

What about the youngest girls? It can be seen that some of them are inspired by adult champions – they behave in a similar way, provoke their opponents like their idols, or remain as calm as Rustam Babayev.

While disabled athletes are fighting, either sitting on chairs, or in wheelchairs, the stage is shaking, the tables are almost going up. The strength of powerful arms can literally be felt in the air. Excuse my emotional style, but I can’t admire enough people, who often have to deal with many adversities, while nothing comes easy to them.

Some of the juniors are „almost adult” and again you can see that they behave like their older friends. So they for instance jump before the match like Denis. Watching them, you can easily say who their idol is.

I was really impressed by the junior semi-final match in the 65 kg category. A Russian female competitor confronted an athlete of Sweden. Were it for their angelic faces, I would have thought that it was “Shrek” fighting against “Krasi” as there were so many tricks during the setting, angry looks and aggression. Great athletes! This time the battle was won by the Russian competitor.

The women semi-final match in the 70 kg category – a competitor of Turkey, a girl wearing glasses, as benefits a good student wins the match quickly and thanks her rival with a beautiful smile.

A junior member of the Russian team fighting in the 70 kg category is almost like a copy of young Arsen. Similarly to Liliev, he waits for his opponent leaning against the table, tries to fight in a similar way too, but this time he is defeated by a competitor of Romania.

The 80 kg semi-final match, Russia vs. Bulgaria. Here we’ve got sturdy guys walking around the table after tearing (like they do in Las Vegas). Eventually the Bulgarian wins cheered on by Weronika.

Like a hurricane fights for the first medal for Croatia a master competitor in the 70 kg category. He decisively wins against the Swede.

The women semi-final matches, both masters and disabled were also very exciting.

During the matches of Russia’s representative in the 90 kg category I felt for a moment as if I was attending dojo as I heard “Kiai!” shouts, like in a karate competition. Pay attention to that watching the video.

Now, imagine the girl 55 kg category, Russia vs Turkey. Small hands, aggressive and serious looks. After tearing, the girls nearly fell off the stage, then squeal could be heard, and childish voice started screaming. The competitor of Turkey was very stunned. It took her some time to realize that she won the match. Great fight.

And this Russian junior competitor who fought in the 65 kg class and won is bound to become a champion. He’s already got a good technique! He’s already endure! You must watch this battle!

Only few of the final matches were devoid of much struggle. Only few fights weren’t evenly matched. The remaining battles were exciting and full of energy and sweat. The first, wonderful day is behind us.

Let me just go back for a moment to my first report. I wrote that sport unities us. Now I want you to think about another thing. We, athletes, understand what patriotism really is. When looking at veterans standing on the podium, representatives of “the former Soviet camp”, I thought to myself: they used to listen to other hymns, they fought for “socialist republic” or “democratic”, now they are fighting for their free country. I could see they were moved, not only the older competitors, but also the young ones.

May our sport make us people who are different, but respect each other and are friends at the same time.

My dear! Watch the sports videos and pictures in the gallery. I just wanted to share with you my reflections.

PeSzy