In his arsenal there are medals of highest dignity, however, he is still motivated to show high-class struggle and the best results.
You are a leader of your category for many years. What is your secret?
It is hard to quit such sports as armwrestling. Many of those who tried, eventually returned. Someone has shown good results, someone do not. So I have many years in this sport and I like to pull. And if you pull, it is necessary to win and be the best.
What makes you constantly progressing?
I'm still motivated to fight and show a good result. One reason for this is a state support, including in financial terms. If an athlete shows the serious results and if he is the first or the second number in the national team of Georgia, he is financed by the state. This is a very good help, because an athlete does not have to look for funding and sponsors to be able to show their work results in international competitions. A state appreciates its athletes and their results and it helps in constant progress.
What can you say about a competition level?
Armwrestling, like any other sport that is constantly evolving, increasing the level of athletes. I saw it well when I returned to the sport after a pause in my career. It is very difficult to return to the old form after the break, and you need to spend a lot of time for it. I thank God for his help on my way, for my health. In came back, I have a desire to continue to show good results. As for my rivals, their level, of course, is increasing. My opponents have changed, I have to deal with young people from 21 to 30 years, and I am 46. Believe me, it’s very hard to pull with young sportsmen.
What can you say about the progress of the Georgian team?
You can see everything, the Georgian national team progresses and shows excellent results. It was evident at the recent European Championship. In senior category we took the first place, for a long time we did not have such a result. Among juniors Georgian team took the second place, it is also a very serious result.
At the European Championship you have taken the gold both in masters and seniors, in which category it was more difficult to fight? Who was the most serious contender?
It was hard to fight in both categories. I can highlight the Croatian athlete Drazen Kogl, it was hard to fight with him, because he's pretty strong physically and has a good technique of pulling.
Among seniors I would like to highlight an athlete from Azerbaijan - Gismat Vakilov, at his young age, he is very good progress. I believe that in this championship he was not lucky, he lost by fouls, but it's still a loss. He was supposed to show a good result. I have not met with him on right hand, but on the left hand it’s hard to fight with him. Also Ukrainian Nikolay Burko, with whom I have fought in the finals, and Russian Irbek Khubaev. He is young and I am sure in future he will perform well. Everything has its time.
Who can you name as the strongest armwrestler of the championship?
I was surprised by the guys from Turkey – Arif Ertem and Ogudzhan Kocak, they are pretty easy won their opponents and deservedly got their gold. Of course, Krasimir Kostadinov was good. I remembered him at this competition and on the former, he is great. Armwrestling is constantly evolving, and there will always be new interesting and talented athletes.
Jambul, thank you for the interview and wish you the best of luck and continued success.