S. Korea promotes Russian martial art sambo

South Korea is working to promote the Russian martial art of sambo, as Seoul tries to host the world and Asian youth championships next year and plans to keep sending athletes to international competitions.

“We will make various efforts to further promote sambo here,” said Moon Jong-geum, chairman of the Korea Sambo Federation. “With Russia giving active support, sambo is gaining influence in the international sporting scene.”

The Korean federation has entered the bidding for the 2012 World Youth Championship and also the Asian Championships.

Sambo is an acronym for the Russian words Samooborona Bez Oruzhiya, which translates to “self-defense without weapons.” It takes its roots in judo and karate of Japan, and also traditional forms of old Russian wrestling.

Sambo can be competed in two variations: “sport” sambo, which is similar to freestyle wrestling or judo, and “combat” sambo, which is close to modern-day mixed martial arts. The American Sambo Association has also created “freestyle” sambo.

Sambo was introduced in South Korea in 2003, and there are about 100 sambo gyms nationwide today. The Korea Sambo Federation is recognized by the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC).

South Korea won its first sambo world championship medal in 2009, when Kim Kwang-sub took the bronze in the men’s lightweight (68 kilograms) division. Though the country has come up short in ensuing competitions, it has kept sending athletes to major events, such as the Russian Federation President’s Cup.

Starting March 24 in Moscow, South Korea will send three athletes to the Kharlampiev Memorial Cup, a tournament named after Anatoly Kharlampiev, the founder of the sport sambo.

The South Korean federation has scheduled the eighth national sambo championship, which will also double as the national team trials, from April 23-24. And to help develop sambo here, it has recruited a Russian sambo athlete, Pavel Astapov, to coach local athletes.

via yonhapnews