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Sumo wrestling has deep historical and philosophical roots. For the Japanese themselves - the creators of this type of martial arts, it is a way of not only physical, but also spiritual improvement. And only in the Land of the Rising Sun, sumo is considered a professional sport.

Amateur sumo is also gaining great popularity, one of the stars of which is a native of Turkmenistan, Honored Master of Sports of Russia Batyr Altiyev.

Batyr is the first world champion in the history of Russia, a 4-time European champion, a winner of the World Games in Wroclaw, and a multiple winner of the Russian lightweight championships (up to 85 kg).

Today, the athlete lives in Moscow and coaches the Russian national sumo team. Batyr was born in the village of Keseyap, Mary region. But soon, the future champion with his family moved to Russia, where he began to practice sumo in the sports school "Wrestler" under the leadership of Andrei Osadchinsky.

• A sports school was across the street from home. And one day I decided to go and sign up for the wrestling section. I chose sumo. At the same time I was engaged in other types of martial arts - sambo, judo,” the athlete said. “After a few years, I firmly decided that I wanted to practice sumo.” I studied the history of this sport, got acquainted with the legends associated with it. Yes, and at that time in sambo enough of its heroes, but in the sumo there was not a single champion from Russia.

The goal of "becoming a world champion", which Batyr set at the age of 14, was achieved. In 2016, at the world championship in Mongolia, he won the long-awaited gold medal. The athlete spent days in intensive training, tempering both physically and spiritually. Indeed, fortitude plays an important role in this type of martial arts. In sumo, they do not score points for receptions; the one who takes the opponent out of balance wins. In history, there have been many cases where wrestlers could not stand the stern gaze of an opponent.

• Very often I hear that all sumo wrestlers are fat. This is far from the case. Many people judge our sport by the performances of professional sumo giants from Japan. I am a supporter of such a sumo, when a wrestler can afford to have a comfortable weight,” said the sumoist, who was awarded a letter of thanks from the Minister of Sports Vitaly Mutko for his successful performance at the IX World Games 2013 in Colombia.

At the World Games in Wroclaw, Batyr hit the world of amateur sumo. Despite the fact that Batyr was one of the lightest participants, he consistently knocked out heavyweights from Ukraine, Mongolia, and Japan. In the final, he was awaited by multiple world and European champion Russian Vasily Margiev, who is 80 kg heavier than Batyr. Then a native of Turkmenistan almost deprived the opponent of his balance, although he became the second.

• It was a great honor for me to fight in the finals with such a great champion. He has more experience, more strength, but if he enters the ring, we must fight for victory, even if your opponent is twice as big as you, ”the athlete commented in an interview.

  Ayna BERDYYEVA