The World Cup in wrestling started at the Belgrade Fair on Saturday, December 12, and will last until December 18, 2020. One of the world’s largest sports competitions this year, meanwhile, has twice changed its format and adapted to the circumstances caused by the Coronavirus pandemic and limited travel opportunities in different parts of the world.
However, as many as 505 competitors from 51 countries appeared at the Belgrade Fair, including seven countries from the list of the ten greatest world powers in this sport. Competitors on mats go out in about thirty categories, and Serbia is represented by 10 male wrestlers and one female wrestler. The total prize fund of the competition is around 278,000 euros.
On the second day of the competition, Serbian wrestlers Viktor Nemes and Zurab Datunasvili won bronze medals. Nemesh defeated Karapet Chalyan from Armenia in the Greco-Roman style up to 77 kilograms in the fight for bronze, and Datunasvili was better than the Italian Fabio Parisi in the category up to 87 kilograms. It is expected that there will be more Serbian representatives on the podium by the end of the competition.
The World Cup is held without an audience, in strictly controlled conditions and in compliance with all epidemiological standards, as well as mandatory PCR and antigen testing. Accommodation for all participants and their entourage is planned in four Belgrade hotels, within a closed balloon system, so participants will not communicate with the outside world.
