Aquathlon (underwater wrestling) (from the Latin "aqua" meaning water, and the ancient Greek "athelon" meaning competition, struggle) is an underwater sport. Aquathlon is a competition between two athletes in the water. Their goal is to wrestle, both above and below the water (while holding their breath), to capture the opponent's ankle strap.
History of Aquathlon
The founder of Aquathlon is Igor Ostrovsky. In April 1982, the first Aquathlon competition was held in Moscow. The day of this competition essentially became the birth of Aquathlon. In 1984, the Aquathlon Club was officially opened at the Moscow Technological University, which later spawned other Aquathlon clubs and sections.
In October 1990, the Aquathlon Commission was established under the USSR Federal Fishing Service. Its chairman was Igor Ostrovsky's student, Master of Sports Leonid Eliseev. In 1993, the first International Aquathlon Competition was held in Moscow. It was a friendly meeting between aquathlon athletes from Russia, Ukraine, and Israel.
Aquathlon gained real recognition in the world of underwater sports after its acceptance into CMAS. In 1999, the World Underwater Activities Confederation decided to create an aquathlon working group.
In 2002, the International Aquathlon Association announced the first European Aquathlon Championships, which took place in Shchekino. The second European Championships took place in 2003.
In 2008, at the General Assembly of the World Underwater Activities Confederation, held in Hurghada, Egypt, aquathlon was recognized by CMAS as an official underwater sport.
In August 2009, the 1st CMAS Aquathlon World Cup was held in St. Petersburg. In July 2010, the 1st CMAS Aquathlon European Championships were held in Kazan. In August 2011, the 2nd CMAS Aquathlon World Cup was held in Valladolid, Spain.
Aquathlon in Belarus
The Belarusian Underwater Sports Federation was directly involved in the recognition of aquathlon by CMAS. At the General Assembly in Hurghada in 2008, our delegation voted for this sport.
At the 1st CMAS European Championships in Kazan, our athlete Viktor Moroz won a silver medal.
Training in this sport is conducted at our Federation's clubs: the Minsk "Captain Morgan" club, coached by Viktor Moroz, a silver medalist at the European Championship and Master of Sports Alexander Korolenko; the Brest "Captain Morgan" club, coached by Master of Sports Maxim Gorbach; the Vitebsk "Parusnik SVG" club, coached by Master of Sports Vadim Soshinsky; and the Zhlobin branch of the Belarusian Federation of Wrestling Sports.
Technical Equipment and Rules
Water Area:
The ring is 5 x 5 meters in size, with a depth of 2 to 6 meters. At the bottom, at the edges of the ring, are goals – two rings with a diameter of 1 meter.
Athlete's Equipment:
Swimsuit; diving mask; rubber fins (or fins made of soft plastic); 2 cuffs (Velcro straps 40-50 cm long and 5-6 cm wide) that are secured to the wrestler's ankles; Two ribbons, 20-25 cm long and 2-2.5 cm wide, are attached to the cuffs on the outside of the ankle.
The Match:
The match can take place underwater or on the surface; surfacing and breathing are permitted. The match consists of three rounds, each lasting 30 seconds, with at least 1.5 minutes of rest between rounds. Athletes must enter the ring gate within 6 seconds of the start of the round. Entering the ring within 6 seconds earns 1 point. Athletes may prevent their opponent from entering the ring. The one who prevents their opponent from entering the ring within 6 seconds wins the round with a score of 1:0.
After the athletes enter the ring, the match begins. To win the round, you must tear off one of your opponent's ribbons and be the FIRST to show it on the surface inside the ring. The first person to show the torn ribbon on the surface receives two points and wins the round with a score of 3:1.
During wrestling, striking, choking, or painful holds are PROHIBITED. Intentionally tearing off an opponent's equipment is prohibited. Tearing off your own ribbons or snatching the ribbon from your opponent's hands is prohibited.
Referees observe the wrestling underwater and ensure safety.
Prospects
This new discipline has proven to be very promising for overall physical development: like diving, aquathlon develops a high level of coordination and agility in the water, as well as confident body control on the surface and underwater. Furthermore, aquathlon is a spectacular and exciting sport, enjoyed by both children and adults. Long-term practice of using aquathlon elements to teach swimming and diving yields excellent results, improves human adaptation to the aquatic environment, and develops breath-holding ability during long and deep dives.