The head coach of Russian national team on Greco-Roman wrestling, the fivefold world champion Gogi Koguashvili in interview of WRESTRUS.RU told about preparation for the European championship which will take place on April 1-6 in Vantaa (Finland).

- We already carried out two collecting, - Gogi Koguashvili noted. - At first prepared in Prielbrusye, then in Moscow area. The third stage will pass in Adler, in the center of a name of Aleksandr Karelin. On March 28 there control fights after which the line-up on the European championship will be declared will take place.

- In what weight categories still there is no definiteness?
- Their two. In category to 71 kg winners of the January Grand Prix of Ivan Poddubnogo Chingiz Labazanov and Abuyazid Mantsigov apply for a trip to Finland. Isn't present while clarity and among heavyweights. Here for the permit to the European championship Vitaly Ilnitsky, Vitaly Shchur and Vasily Parshin fight. Everything will be solved as I already told, on final collecting in Adler.

- In what feature of the current season?
- This year there aren't a lot of large international tournaments — only the European championship and the World Cup which will take place in Iran on May 15-16. Therefore we have an opportunity to pay due attention to functional preparation. In last season because of a large number of serious starts we couldn't work properly over it and as a result in Budapest some children approached to the World Cup not in the best form. Nevertheless in a team competition we supported the reputation, won first place.

- What about the Olympic champion of London Alan Khugayev and the silver prize-winner of the same Games Rustem Totrov?
- Khugayev and Totrov remain leaders of team. Now they already started trainings on a carpet and, I hope, will be able to participate in the championship of Russia.

- In Russian national team on Greco-Roman wrestling there is an alternation of generations. Contours of team which will go to the Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro, appear?
- The structure was really updated for 80-90 percent. There are young talented children, but they need time to declare itself at the top of the voice. Especially it concerns tyazhy. Task number one — to prepare the heavyweight who will win there the Olympic medal for Rio de Janeiro. In other weight categories we have to fight only for gold.

- You watch competitors? Here, for example, at Iranians three Olympic champions returned to structure...
- It doesn't frighten me. We will meet Iran in the middle of May on the World Cup — there and we will look who that costs. I will remind that last year Iranians in their territory we beat.

- The well-known Cuban heavyweight wrestler Alexis Rodriguez became the champion of Azerbaijan on Greco-Roman wrestling. How you estimate its prospects in new style?
- We will look that at it it will turn out. But I think that it will return to free-style wrestling.

- You mentioned problems with shots in heavy weight. Perhaps FSBR makes sense to go on the way of some winter federations which naturalized strong athletes from other countries? We saw result at the Olympic Games in Sochi in short track competitions and a snowboard.
- Taking an opportunity, I want to congratulate all Olympians and Paralympians on brilliant performance. As for your question... No, it not our way. Such great wrestling power as Russia, I consider, doesn't need to invite athletes from outside.

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