Freestyle wrestling is a competition between two athletes. Each of the athletes tries to put the other on the shoulder blades or win with the help of other techniques (grabs, throws, flips, sweeps and trips).
For freestyle wrestling competitions, a special square-shaped carpet area is arranged, its side is eight meters. Participants' costumes consist of red or blue elastic leotards, swimming trunks and wrestlers. Wrestling shoes are made soft, without heels and various metal parts.
On the carpet, athletes try in every possible way to turn the opponent onto his back and press his shoulder blades against the carpet. Points are awarded for holding techniques, you can win technically, that is, having a large amount of points. During the competition, the wrestlers make grabs and perform steps. For this purpose, grips and grips with hands and feet are used in the stalls. The fight lasts five minutes. If during this time no one was on the shoulder blades and did not receive three points for active actions, another three minutes are added. And so on until the winner is determined. A team of judges who award points and the victory oversees the course of the fight.
Athletes are divided into weight categories. Since 1928, a rule has been established - one participant from one country in each weight. The loser is eliminated from the games.
Freestyle wrestling was first included in the program of the Summer Olympic Games in 1904 in St. Louis (USA). Then all participants (42 people) were representatives of this country. The Europeans did not immediately accept this type of wrestling, so it was not at the next Olympics.
But then this sport firmly entered the program of the summer games. The rules of the competition changed, but the participation of the majority of athletes from only one country was no longer allowed. Russia created its own team of free wrestlers to participate in the 1996 Olympics.
In 1980, women's freestyle wrestling also gained recognition, and at the Olympic Games she appeared in 2004 in Athens. It was the third female single combat after taekwondo and judo.
Now athletes from the USA, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Georgia are leading in freestyle wrestling in the world.
