Wrestling: Serbian Olympic value

Abstract

Wrestling in Serbia has a long tradition and has had considerable accomplishments. According to the number of medals won at the Olympic Games, wrestling is the most successful sport in Serbia. The continuity of medal winning at big wrestling competitions was interrupted with the imposition of sanctions to SR Yugoslavia (1992). After the crisis that was conditioned by sport sanctions, a new 'golden age of wrestling' in Serbia started in 2007. Since then wrestlers have won 30 medals in senior category and 17 in pioneer, cadet, junior and young senior categories, at the major international championships. The wrestling club 'Partizan' triumphed in the Champion League. The key factors to the success were young talented wrestlers, development of coaching structure, organization of international competitions, financing the highest results by the state and the national Olympic committee, but also the activity and leadership of a sport official Nenad Lalović. It is natural to expect the continuity of success to be maintained, and one priority in the following period ought to be a construction of a national wrestling training centre, which would enable continuous practice, expansion of the wrestling base, implementation of scientific monitoring methods, formulation and dissemination of training methods.