University Sambo returned to Cyprus after a long pause caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Student Sambo Championship was held at the end of March at the State University of Cyprus. Medals were up for grabs in the men’s and women’s Sambo events.
“We had planned to resume the student championship immediately after the end of the coronavirus restrictions last year, but not all athletes were ready to compete at that time. A long period without training was taking its toll. That’s why we postponed the start of the championship to 2023, which allowed us to gather a more representative line-up of participants. Especially I would like to mention the interest of the students of the University of Cyprus, who had the biggest team”, — said Christerinos Stavridis, Secretary General of the Sambo Federation of Cyprus.
Sambo wrestlers from three universities took part in the Championship: University of Cyprus, European University of Cyprus and University of Nicosia. The athletes were supported by fans from the stands, which provided additional intensity of emotions on the sambo mats.
“Most of the participants of the tournament are promising athletes, who can achieve good results and play for the national team. We saw really bright fights with excellent technical skills of the opponents. The Championship showed that student sambo in Cyprus has a future and we plan to direct our efforts to the further development of this direction,” — said Stavridis.