OMM Newsroom
Ruslan Nurullayev, who finished third at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, United States, has spoken about his preparation for the competition and the mistakes that prevented him from winning gold.
The Greco-Roman wrestler said he had prepared well for the championships and travelled there aiming to win the title. After losing his opening bout, Nurullayev won his subsequent matches to claim bronze. He said he could have become champion had he not made mistakes. The wrestler added that he had time to correct them and believed the 77kg category would suit him better.
Nurullayev, who previously competed at 72kg, said he moved to the Olympic 77kg category ahead of the upcoming Olympic year and because ranking tournaments will award qualification points starting next year. He said he made the decision after consulting his coaches.
The wrestler noted that his opponents at the U-23 World Championships had also competed internationally at senior level. Nurullayev said next year would be his final opportunity to compete in this age group and that he would try to win the title. His main goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games.
