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Sofia Soluyanova and Anastasia Popova, winners of the World Youth Sambo Championship, returned to Penza today. The competition was held from 11 to 13 October 2024 in Cyprus.
Two female athletes have been training under the guidance of coach Vitaly Soluyanov for more than ten years. Both girls started their sports career with prizes at the Russian championships: Sofia in 2019, Anastasia in 2020. Since then, they have made significant progress, winning prestigious Russian and international competitions.
Seventeen-year-old Sofia Soluyanova is a three-time world champion, European champion and five-time Russian champion. Anastasia Popova, also seventeen years old, has a track record as a world champion, European champion and two-time champion of Russia.
The girls prepared for the world Championship in accordance with the usual schedule: they conducted 2 training sessions a week. In addition, they attended training camps with the Russian national team in Sochi, Kislovodsk and Volgodonsk. "I was worried that the girls only had two competitions in the season, which is not enough for athletes. But at the World Championship, they showed their opponents that Russia remains the leader in the fight," said Vitaly Soluyanov.
Representatives of 33 countries took part in the World Youth Championship. Anastasia Popova and Sofia Soluyanova from Russia were subjected to considerable psychological pressure from both competing athletes and spectators. Performing under a neutral flag, the athletes refrained from greeting handshakes with their competitors.
There were 15 participants in Sofia’s category, and won four fights. The match with the Belarusian athlete turned out to be one of the most difficult. However, thanks to her experience and good physical training, the Sofia was able to surpass her rival.
Anastasia Popova's age group consisted of nine participants, and she confidently won three fights.
Photo provided by the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports of the Penza Oblast