Arthur Khaptsev from UMMC Sambo Club (Verkhnyaya Pyshma) won the first ever Beach Sambo World Championship

Our super heavyweight Artur Khaptsev from UMMC Sambo Club (Verkhnyaya Pyshma) has won the first-ever Beach Sambo World Championship, which is now taking place in Larnaka, Cyprus. In the final of 88+ kg weight category, Arthur fought against a true giant from Romania, Daniel Natea, who was about two meters high, and over 150 kg. As compared with him, Khaptsev, being far from fragile, looked like a sparrow. Despite almost double advantage of the Romanian opponent, Arthur snatched victory through a very technical and tricky hold with an inside leg to become a world champion. Previously in a series of bouts Khaptsev first, using a back sweep defeated the host of the competition Nicolas Papadopoulos and then submitted with front sweep the Ukrainian Timur Samedov. Tomorrow Artur is taking part in the national team tournament. In total, representatives of 12 countries took part in the first World Beach Sambo Championship.

The rules of beach sambo are quite different from the rules of sport sambo. The most decisive factor is, of course, the floor type, as the fight is not on the mat, but on loose sand. It requires much more physical efforts and therefore fights last for only three (not five) minutes. Ground wrestling in beach sambo does not exist, only a standing fight; the victory is awarded for the first successful hold.

The first Russian Beach Sambo Championship was held two months ago in Anapa, and it was his triumph there that paved the way for Artur Khaptsev to the World Championship.