World championship in wrestling on the belts will be held in Astrakhan

The World championship in one of the oldest kinds of martial arts, wrestling on the belts, will be held in Astrakhan from August, 11, till August, 14.

Juniors, young men and girls born in 1991-1993, will take part in the competition. For some of them participation in the championship will become a qualifying round before the World Student Games in 2013 in Kazan, the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Astrakhan region reports.

“Wrestling on the belts” is popular not only in Russia but the World over. Each year it gains more and more admirers thanks to its effects, democratic atmosphere and simplicity of rules. There are two styles: a classic one, i.e. without participation of legs, and a freestyle. “The competitions in Astrakhan will include a freestyle only”, RIA “Novosti” quotes Press service of the Ministry of Sports.

Note: Wrestling on the belts (or girdles) is known as the oldest kind of sports in Volga region, the Urals, Siberia, the Caucasus and many countries of Asia. With all the categories and varieties of this kind of sport the athletes’ common task is to fling or knock down the competitor holding one’s belt behind the back in one’s hands. Trips, back heels, twisting and other techniques which let one bring down and fix a wrestler are permitted in this kind of wrestling.