BAKU, Azerbaijan (August 10) -- United World Wrestling, in collaboration with the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation, hosted the 10th Anniversary of the More Than Medals camp in Baku from August 3 to 8, following the U17 World Championships.
The milestone edition of the camp, conducted by UWW Development Department, brought together a record 95 participants -- 74 athletes and 21 coaches -- representing 21 countries, making it the largest More Than Medals camp to date.
The anniversary celebrated a decade of the programme, initiated by UWW President Nenad LALOVIC, with the aim of supporting the development of young wrestlers both on and off the mat.
"I am highly proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of More Than Medals," Lalovic said. "This programme is at the heart of our development projects, as its aim is to provide the next generation of wrestlers with a sense of belonging, empowerment and brotherhood. They all understand the universal language of wrestling, which is friendship and respect.
"The younger generation needs to feel part of the greater picture and understand that it is not only about the medals, but the journey towards and beyond the experience. Most importantly, it is about creating memories and friendships that last a lifetime."
Wrestlers at the More than Medals camp in Baku. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)
More Than Wrestling
True to the philosophy of More Than Medals, the camp offered a diverse programme combining wrestling technical sessions, fun games, strength and conditioning, beach wrestling, anti-doping education, and climate action and awareness activities.
For the first time, participants were introduced to strength and conditioning, adding another important element to their athletic development.
Beyond the sporting and educational sessions, the camp created an environment where young wrestlers and coaches could connect, share experiences and build friendships across borders.
The 10th anniversary edition concluded with a traditional Azerbaijani dinner and entertainment, providing a memorable celebration of the programme's milestone and the friendships developed throughout the week.
Learning from Champions
As part of the educational programme, the National Anti-Doping Agency delivered an important session to the athletes covering anti-doping rules, responsibilities, and obligations, including whereabouts requirements.
Olympians and Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation Vice-Presidents Namig ABDULLAEV and Farid MANSOUR also shared their experiences and careers with the young athletes. They encouraged the next generation to remain committed to wrestling, believe in themselves and pursue their Olympic dreams.
Coach of the Azerbaijan U17 Greco-Roman team and Olympic medalist and world champion Rafiq HUSEYNOV highlighted the broader value of the camp.
"This camp was much more than just wrestling training." Huseynov said. "It was a great opportunity for young athletes from different countries to learn from each other, build friendships and experience the true values of our sport. I believe these moments will stay with them for many years and contribute not only to their development as wrestlers, but also as people. This is exactly what wrestling is about -- more than medals.”
Wrestlers at the More Than Medals camp with coaches and UWW team in Baku. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)
Sharing Experiences
The camp also provided coaches with an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences across countries and cultures. Head coach of the Tunisia U17 women's team Feten HAMMAMI described the experience as both professionally and personally rewarding.
"The camp was a great experience, both professionally and personally," Hammami said. "It gave us the opportunity to learn, exchange experiences, and connect with coaches and athletes from different countries. Sharing a session with Lupita from Mexico and Teresa from Spain was a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas. I truly appreciated the positive atmosphere, the quality of the sessions and the strong spirit of collaboration throughout the week."
Hammami also thanked UWW and Azerbaijan for bringing together the camp.
"A big thank you to the whole UWW team for your effort, support, and amazing energy," she said. "Special thanks to Vincent AKA and Warren for creating a session where athletes could feel relaxed, enjoy the moment and keep working with confidence. And thank you, Deqa (NIAMKEY), for giving us this opportunity. I hope we can continue creating more camps and experiences like this, bringing coaches and athletes from different countries together to learn, share and grow."
