Sambo development started in Estonia in 1959. In the yearly 1960s a master of sambo Yury Saakian arrived in Tallinn. He initiated the establishment of children’s and youth sports school in sambo on the base of DVIGATEL sport club.
The disciples of Yury Saakian quickly achieved the great results in the USSR competitions. The pioneer in the USSR championship became Viktor Antonov (-58 kg), he won the silver medal in 1966. From 1966 to 1976 many Estonian athletes won medals and became the winners and prize-winners in the USSR championships among youth: A. Bolshakov, B. Masalitin, R. Ashyan, S. Vaiser, L. Chendrikson, E. Stambler, G. Karev, A. Klepach, V. Zhilkin, S. Fedorin.
A disciple of Yury Saakian Dmitry Samoshtshuk won the first silver medal in the USSR championship in 1976. He became a two-time champion of the USSR and a winner of the first world cup in 1977.
In 1992 after the dissolution of the USSR the Estonian sambo association was registered once again. During these years athletes regularly took part in the European and world championships.
Since 2011 the Estonian competitors had been having the most successful period. They won 15 medals in the world and European championships youth, 10 medals juniors, 17 medals seniors. The most famous sambo athlete is the repeated prize-winner of the world and European championships Alexandre Fedorov (-74 kg) with 8 medals. The repeated prize-winners of the world and European championships became the following athletes: D. Smoldarev (+100kg), 3 medals; A. Kuznetsova (+80 kg), 3 medals; A. Sopp (+80kg), 2 medals. A. Fedorin (-62 kg), R. Zubets (-62 kg) and I. Drovniashin (-82 kg).
Nowadays Estonian Sambo Association consists of 12 clubs with 14 licensed coaches. The association annually organises the Open championship of Estonia and takes part in the international games of martial arts of Estonia (EVSÜ). The European Union championship 2007 and the First European open championship among cadets (15-16 years) 2012 were successfully held in Estonia.
Champions and prize winners of Estonia 2017
European Championship 2017 in the Republic of Belarus
Bronze Medals:
Drovnjasin Ilia (82 kg)
Fomin Vadim (62 kg)