Qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, in a discipline that combines judo, jiu-jitsu and Olympic wrestling, which was created by the Russian army and is even practiced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, is the new challenge of a group of young Costa Ricans who dream of a ticket to the Olympics.
Little by little, sambo has gained strength in Costa Rica and even more so as it is an Olympic sport, starting with the next jousts. In the Olympic cycle, in our region, sambo has already participated in the Central American Games in Managua, Nicaragua 2017, as an exhibition.
The first step for the nationals will be the Pan American of this discipline, which will take place from September 7 to 11 in Puntarenas. In preparation for the event, the National Team will take part in the Quisqueya Sambo Open Cup, in the Dominican Republic, which will take place this Saturday, May 14.
Nicole Castro will compete in the event in the 80 kilos, Stephanie Briceño in 59 kilos, Pablo Fallas in -58 kilos and Geíner Díaz in 64 kilos. They will be led by coach Edgardo Mora.
The competition will have the participation of 10 countries from the Americas, plus Germany and Israel, so it will not only serve as a warm-up, but will also allow knowing who will be the rivals in the continental tournament that will take place in our country.
demanding sport
Stephanie Briceño, Pan American runner-up in 2019, in the Dominican Republic, commented that the tournament in the Dominican is very important for them, especially that they have the national qualifiers in June to choose the National Team for the Pan American and which will be scored for the regional ranking ahead of the next Olympic event.
“Because sambo is an Olympic sport starting in Paris 2024, interest grew a lot and the Pan American in Costa Rica will be the first scoring event for the regional ranking with a view to participating in the Olympics. Hence the importance of arriving well prepared,” said Briceño.
In addition to Briceño, there will be Nicole Castro, who won the gold medal in 2019, and Pablo Fallas, Pan American monarch in Colombia in 2021.
“Sambo is very demanding, since it combines three sports, so the locks, submissions and immobilizations are necessary, it is very fast and intense. You must have very good physical condition and be attentive to the movements of your rivals so as not to be surprised,” said Briceño.
“Each match lasts five minutes and whoever scores eight points first or whoever has the most after the elapsed time wins. The fastest way to win is to throw your opponent on their back and immobilize them, which gives you eight points. In case of a tie, the referees decide who is the winner according to his behavior in the fight (who attacks more or takes the initiative). he added he.
The Sambo Federation of Costa Rica, headed by Guillermo Sánchez Cantillano, in addition to having the continental event that includes the modalities of traditional sambo, sport sambo and beach sambo, will be the organizer of the next Central American Games to be held next November.
