Igor, what was so memorable at championship in Katowice in terms of sports?

Igor Mazurenko: I'm impressed! Let's start with the female categories. In women fights – juniors, seniors and masters was much more strength, dynamics and tactics than we saw a few years ago. Another one important characteristic – until recently, girls, basically, pulled using toproll. However, at these competitions we saw many girls pulling in a hook. This shows that women are getting stronger and applying more serious technical training.

So,  do we have a "breakthrough" in the women's arm-wrestling?..

Igor Mazurenko: Definitely yes! Remember, in 2013 the European Championships in Lithuania? Fight among juniors - Anastasia Goncharenko versus Marine Putkaradze - this expression, squeals, dynamics! The recording of this struggle became a hit of the network. But what I'm leading to. For me, this is an important moment in the armwrestling of women. Access to a higher level in all respects. I believe that many athletes were inspired to look at this fight. Besides - let's look at the photos! What weights do these girls use in workouts? These are really heavy weights!

I also noted in Katowice that the fights of the girls lasted longer than before. So we have a "time of women’s armwrestling". But how to use it?

Igor Mazurenko: The athletes and their coaches should be thinking about this already. As organizers, we will try to promote women's armwrestling as best as possible.

How about juniors?

Igor Mazurenko: We must bet on juniors. In all federations - national, European, World. Without this, we will not go further! It is necessary!

What exactly is needed for this?

Igor Mazurenko: Imagine the situation - a boy 12 years old comes to training and asks: "When will I start winning medals?". And you answer him that he will participate in more or less decent competition in 18 years. This can discourage. Between 12 and at least 17 years there is a huge difference in strength, and there is no way for normal competition. Therefore, it may be necessary to introduce the main championships for athletes under the age of 14, 16 years separately. This, of course, will lead to the need to hold a separate championship for juniors. At the national, and at the continental, and at the global level. For example, as in judo.

In my opinion - I do not know if you agree with this - the role of coaches and their work before the fights of the sportsman has also increased, and during them they have a great influence on the athlete. Is it so?

Igor Mazurenko: Of course! The era of coaches, which could only scream "come on, come on" and jump up and down by the platform, ended. Psychic in our sport is becoming more important. Remember how Travis Bagent "swallowed" Farid Usmanli? Then he said that he won by the head, not by the muscles.

Well, I do not mean individuals here, but there are athletes who need to work with a sports psychologist. But about this in another conversation.

Igor Mazurenko: We will definitely return to the issue of trainers and psychologists.

Thanks for the interview!

Igor Mazurenko: Thank you to readers.

Interview PeSzy