The best pankration athletes were determined in Serpukhov.

The atmosphere at the Nadezhda Sports Palace is tense. Rhythmic breathing, focused gazes, and the coaches' quick commands—a unique atmosphere reigns here, a blend of excitement, determination, and the desire to win. Last weekend, approximately 300 young athletes aged 6 to 17 took to the tatami to compete in the Serpukhov City District Open Pankration Championship.

From early morning until evening, the hall was a hive of activity: participants from Serpukhov, the Kaluga and Ryazan regions, and other parts of the country were preparing for the fights, and the organizers did everything to ensure the tournament ran flawlessly.

Pankration is an ancient martial art that originated in Greece. It was an Olympic sport beginning in 648 BC. At that time, competitions took place on a specially prepared platform called a "malfo." Since then, pankration has undergone significant changes: today, it is practiced worldwide, and instead of a platform with a thick layer of fine sand, athletes compete in comfortable gyms.

Serpukhov is a municipality where pankration is particularly popular. Every year, local sports schools send dozens of students to competitions, many of whom return with prizes. Recently, the World Championships were held in Serbia, where students from the Zubrenok Sports School, Aleksandr Marienko and Daria Romanova, took prizes in the international amateur pankration competition. Daria represented her country in the 50 kg weight class, while Aleksandr won the 62 kg weight class. Aleksandr won bronze, and Daria won silver.

"Just a little bit more, and they can become true champions. The most important things are determination, consistency in training, and hard work. These are the qualities that enable athletes to achieve greatness," noted Anatoly Chesnokov, coach of the Zubrenok Sports School.

It's worth noting that Anatoly Mikhailovich was one of the coaches of two-time Russian and world champion in pankration and mixed martial artist Sergei Bilostenny. Under his guidance, Sergei also won the Combat Self-Defense World Cup.

Following intense competition, the tournament determined winners in various weight categories, who were awarded certificates and medals. Holding such competitions not only promotes pankration in the region but also encourages young people to engage in martial arts, building character and a will to win.

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Published in the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper, No. 44, October 29, 2025

Newspaper headline: Sport for the strong-willed: the best pankration athletes were determined in Serpukhov