New World Class Wresting Complex For Sochi 2014

A new "world-class" wrestling training complex opened Monday for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, named after three times Olympic Greco-Roman Champion Alexander Karelin. The complex has the capacity to train ten teams simultaneously.

The opening ceremony was attended by Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko; State Duma deputy and Olympic gymnastics champion Svetlana Khorkina; and State Duma Committee for Physical Culture and Sport, and Olympic figure skating champion Anton Sikharulidze.

Chernyshenko said at the ceremony, "we can already see real results of Sochi becoming one of the main sports centres in Russia - the opening of this new sports training complex is perfect proof of this. Children from all over the country will be able to train here."

Previously the facility, which is certified by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), was the training base for the Russian free-style and Greco-Roman wrestling teams for the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Karelin said, "the training base in Sochi already satisfies the requirements foreign teams normally have when they prepare for the Olympic Games".

Chernyshenko added, "we have already discussed with Alexander Karelin the possibility of using this facility as a training base for both Russian and international winter sports teams who want to prepare for competitions in the Olympic host city 2014".

The Karelin Center will be included in the first Pre-Games Training Guide which the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee is currently developing, said a press release. It will contain information about all training centres in Russia where international athletes could train in the run-up to the Sochi 2014 Games, and according to the press release, "will be distributed annually to all National Olympic Committees from 2010".

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