“Battle for Moscow” thundered through the capital

The team tournament among boys under 18, “Battle for Moscow”, organised by the Russian Judo Federation and the Moscow Judo Federation with the support of the charitable foundation “Kolыbel Otechestva” and the “DobroFON” programme, took place at the International Sambo Centre. The best clubs of the Moscow region competed for the awards.

The competitions lasted for three days – from 28 to 30 September – and brought together on the tatami representatives of “Sambo-70”, “Shabolovka”, MGFSO, UOR “Moskva”, SK “Grizzly” and “Dynamo” (all from Moscow), as well as “Fryazino” and “Akademiya Pobediteley” (Dolgoprudny). Following intense battles in two subgroups, the semi-finalists were determined. On the final day, they were to compete for the beautiful cup and a solid prize fund of 42 million roubles. Symbolically, the final coincided with the date when, in 1941, one of the key battles of the Great Patriotic War began – the Battle for Moscow.

“This time, the Russian Judo Federation decided to experiment: to expand the usual framework of competitions, make them more accessible to spectators, more interesting, more spectacular,” said FDR President Sergey Soloveychik. “This provided not only valuable experience for the participants but also a new impulse for the development of youth judo. One of our current priorities has become the club direction. For the third year, the Continental Judo League has been successfully developing – the number of participants is growing, and titled athletes are joining the project. At the same time, financial support for athletes is also increasing.”

“This time it was the turn to support the young athletes with an unprecedented prize fund. This may play a decisive role: students of the 9th–10th grades are just beginning to make their first important decisions – whether to stay in sport or move on to another path. At this moment, it is especially important to show that judo can be not only a passion but also a profession, one that allows a person to provide for themselves and their family, and to thank their coach and club.”

“Today’s competition is not just a bright and large-scale event. It is a new philosophy and format that already proves its worth. We hope that we will be able to maintain the support of our partners, and these tournaments will become an important part of the youth calendar and, most importantly, a starting point for future world and Olympic champions – those very same boys who fought on the tatami today.”

The format tested by the FDR at the “Battle for Moscow” received the highest praise from fans, athletes, coaches, and journalists alike: instead of the usual five points required to win in team competition, the judokas had to score 13 points, and in case of equal scores in an individual bout, instead of the traditional “golden score”, a draw – “hiki-wake” – was declared.

“A very large-scale competition, with many people coming to support the boys,” noted Olympic bronze medallist Tamerlan Bashaev, who tried on the role of Match TV commentator today. “The atmosphere is similar to international tournaments, so when the guys perform on the world stage, they will no longer have stage fright or fear of the audience. I was also pleased with the format: it’s very interesting and unusual.

I am glad that the youth sports schools, thanks to their trainees, were able to earn good money. This will be a motivation for the younger generation. Judokas will not only enjoy the process of fighting but also earn money and improve the quality of life for their families. In our time, this was not the case, so I am even more happy for the boys.”

The final stage of the “Battle for Moscow” eventually featured “Akademiya Pobediteley” from Dolgoprudny, “Fryazino” from the eponymous Moscow region town, UOR “Moskva”, and the capital’s “Dynamo”. These teams first determined the semi-finalists and then the medal winners. Incidentally, among the team members were athletes who had already won more than once both domestically and internationally. Among them were world cadet champion Alexey Toptygin, youth European medallists Apti Utsiev and continental Cup winners Ramazan Khidirov, Atkhan Bichoev, and Artur Sarkisyan. Another “star” of the day was world champion Iago Abuladze, who was seconding the trainees of his native sports school.

“The FDR is always looking for new approaches to holding competitions, experimenting, moving towards something more modern and engaging,” said Iago Abuladze. “It is also worth noting the patriotic focus of the tournaments: we love our country, represent Russia on international arenas, and defend its honour. And it is great that this feeling is nurtured from youth.

What is important for an athlete at this age? From my own experience, I can say – complete trust in the coach. When your head is filled with all sorts of things, when your character is still forming, the only reference point is the mentor. And if there is the right connection, belief in the person next to you, then there will be results.”

Perhaps it was precisely Iago’s support that helped the Fryazino team recover from a four-point deficit in the semi-final against UOR “Moskva” and fight for the cup. Unfortunately, the teammates of the world champion were unable to repeat such a beautiful comeback twice: the Moscow region derby with the “Akademiya Pobediteley” ended with a score of 13:7 in favour of the boys from Dolgoprudny. Athletes from UOR “Moskva” took third place in the final standings.

“The tournament was held at the highest level, and the bouts were breathtaking,” said FONBET’s managing shareholder Valentin Golovanov. “We are happy and proud to have become the general partner of such a large-scale event. Our company has long cooperated with the Russian Judo Federation: together we hold the Continental League, the Russia Judo Tour, and now we have added the Battle for Moscow to our collection. We are confident that many more bright projects await us ahead.”

The spectators will long remember not only the beautiful throws, the emotions of the teams, and the storylines worthy of modern cinema, but also the colourful mini-performance of the popular artist LYRIQ – a creative surprise from the organising committee of the Battle for Moscow.

“If someone still doesn’t believe in miracles – it’s time to start, because they happen regularly,” noted FONBET’s Deputy General Director Alexey Yagudin. “For example, I, an Olympic champion in figure skating, found myself at a judo event for the first time today. Sport unites. And now – I, a representative of a winter sport, have found myself among fans of a Japanese martial art.

Many have seen the humorous video ‘I had a tactic, and I stuck to it.’ In judo – this is no joke. Here, sport is not only about physics but also about strategy and a cool head. Lose concentration for just a moment, and victory slips away. Here, you can make your opponent believe you are weak, while at that very moment you are preparing a winning throw. That is the whole charm of judo. That is exactly what impressed me.”

Source: judo.ru