Karelin: "Gran Prix Ivan Yarygin has always been an important examination for wrestlers "

Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, Hero of the Russian Federation, three-time Olympic champion and nine-time world wrestling champion Alexander Karelin shared his impressions of Ivan Yarygin tournament - 2022.

“This tournament has a serious reputation for freestyle wrestling. For men, it has more prospects. For all wrestlers, this tournament has always been an important test. I would even say that it is a very important confirmation if the claim is true. After Ivan Yarygin tournament, the winners and prize-winners get a special “mark” meaning they have higher chances to win further - at the European, World, Asian Championships, and the Olympic Games. And for a city where we have very clear associations with wrestling (Yarygin and Mindiashvili), for a city where there is an embankment named after Ivan Yarygin, where there is a palace named after Ivan Sergeevich, this is very important. And for the development of breeding tasks, and in order to show foreigners what Siberia is like, what the Krasnoyarsk Territory is like, what its regional center is, which showed the world a genius - Ivan Sergeevich Yarygin. There is a great line-up. Unfortunately, the public will not be able to see our famous guys - the leadership of the national team released the Olympic winners. Unfortunately, many of them who typically take first and second places have positive covid test. The Americans have brought the first good composition, and there is already something to see. Because freestyle wrestling in the US is almost as popular as in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.”