Lithuanian grappling wrestlers once again have proved their strength – this time in the World Grappling Cup tournament. In the biggest tournament of the year held in Kaunas Lithuanians won three of the four finals in the absolute weight category.
Kyrgyz fighter triumphed in one discipline only, namely, in the category of men with kimono. In individual weight categories medals were won by Latvian, Russian, Estonian, Ukrainian and Belarusian athletes.
The world grappling championship which was organised by the federation last year for the first time, hasn’t interrupted Federation’s work agenda. On the contrary, the second part of the season was even more busy then the first. Namely, in five month only, the record number of participants was recorded, Panevezys entered the scene of grappling fights, kimono discipline was introduced and the professional fight for the Champions Title of the Baltic States was organised together with the Bushido Federation.
The first piece of the puzzle is the discipline of kimono. According to Adrijus Kupstas, the president of the federation, this idea has been implemented after serious consideration of all the pluses and minuses.
Panevėžys Open grappling championship which was held in the capital of Aukštaitija for the first time in history, gathered almost 200 athletes from Lithuania, Latvia and Russia. All competitors were divided into two groups: with and without kimono.
Raimondas Zeniauskas from Klaipėda became the winner of the Absolute category of men without kimono, in the finals unexpectedly defeating one of the strongest Lithuanian grappling wrestlers Laimonas Stančikas from Vilnius.
