Before the start of the most important competition of professional armwrestling we decided to talk with Terence Opperman, a promising competitor from South Africa. This arm wrestler definitely is among the highest class of competitors. Who knows if it won't be Terence Opperman who will make changes in the ranking of the top armwrestlers of the world in the upcoming Nemiroff World Cup 2013?

You've already participated in Nemiroff, how do you remember it?

My first time was in 2009, taking fourth place in the 95 kg category. I'm very pleased with that score.

Now you're entering again.

Yes, I intend to fight in the under 95 kg category.

What do your preparations look like?

Everything is going according to the plan. I'm paying special attention to training the hook. World Championship, that is, the fight with Krasimir, showed me that my hook is weak and needs more attention.

What goals do you set for yourself in order to prepare?

I'm working long and hard to prepare for Nemiroff. I'm now at the last stage of these preparations. I'm expecting to qualify in the first five in my category.

Maybe it's a trivial question, but I'll ask: can John Brzenk reclaim his old position as the world champion of armwrestling?

I believe he will be first in his category, or at least in the top three.

The spotlight is on Denis Cyplenkov, every armwrestler wants to defeat him. Can anyone succeed?

No, Denis has no competition. It's not just Nemiroff, but in the entire world Cyplenkov is unmatched by anyone.

What about Larratt? Opinions about the potential score of their armfight are divided. What do you think, which side will be victorious?

I'm sure that Devon is not a problem for Denis. I'm expecting 6:0 for Cyplenkov.

Oleg Zhoh and Khadzhimurat Zoloyev are some of the most interesting competitors in the cup. Does either of them have a chance to be on the podium?

These sportsmen have especially high chances of success. They can manage to enter the podium and cause the fight in this category to be even.

In the world of armwrestling, there is a lot of controversy around recording the fights and the fouls. Do you think such a system is necessary?

I like this system, because it helps the referees in the case of disputes. The referee plays a big role in the fight, he has the experience and qualifications, which also decide whether the fight will take place. You have to look at it in a positive way: the system makes armwrestling a professional, more serious and well thought-out sport.

What about the anti-doping control? Do you think it's worth it to introduce it into professional competitions?

To me, introducing the control is good, it will make armwrestling more fair. However, many armwrestlers might be disqualified and without them it won't be as interesting.

Artur Grigorjan