01. 01. 2020
Wrestling cadets have their peak events of the year in quick succession; in the second half of July, the European elite gathered in Katowice, Poland, and a month later, the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, will welcome the participants of the World Championships. ZK Košice 1904 also has representation at both tournaments with a pair of representatives in freestyle, Matej Gazda and Gabriel Tysz.
KOŠICE. After the first "half" in the Katowice "Spodek" hall, their club coach Miroslav Jedlička can be satisfied, especially with the fact that both young Košice freestyle wrestlers qualified for the world championship by placing in the top ten in their weight categories. Both finished in 9th place in the final classification, Matej Gazda in the 76 kg category and Gabriel Tysz in the 85 kg.
"However, I was not satisfied with how their preparation for the European championship was going, so I took them to Poland for ten to twelve days, where we basically did the rough preparation, which paid off for us," coach Jedlička sensed that they needed to step up their training so that his charges' participation in Katowice would not be merely symbolic.
PAPER WEAKER...
"Both won their first matches, albeit, in quotation marks, against weaker opponents on paper." Gabriel Tysz against the Swiss Hutter and Matej Gazda against the Austrian Pajantschitsch.
"Gabi had a very tough match with that Swiss guy, and his psyche played a huge role in his performance because it was his debut at an event of such a significant rank. In addition, he hadn't trained enough to have more confidence in the round of 16 against the Ukrainian Barbarosh."
He lost to him in three periods, and in the last one 0:7. He did not capitalize on one action from which he could have scored a point; on the contrary, the Ukrainian got three from it. "But overall, I am satisfied with his performance and ninth place in Katowice," says coach Jedlička.
"Matej Gazda also had a weaker opponent on paper in the first round, although we are the same for wrestlers from these countries. He gave a good performance against the Austrian and won with composure. He also started excellently in the quarterfinals against the German Flick, winning the first period 5:1, which says something. But he lost the second 0:2, the third 0:3, and did not advance further. He ran out of gas in that match because his training volume was not at a sufficient level. However, both boys placed in the top ten at the European Championships, thus qualifying for the World Championships, so, satisfaction."
THEY CAN SURPRISE
An even tougher wrestling level awaits them in Baku, although Europe also plays a leading role in the youth categories on the world mats.
"Although strong wrestlers from Iran, Japan, or the USA will be added, there is still a chance to get a more acceptable opponent in the opening rounds, from a quasi-weaker wrestling country, but the world championship is certainly not easier than Europe. However, our boys can surprise, and if they win one or two matches in Baku, I will be maximally satisfied," we found Miroslav Jedlička with the junior representatives at a training camp in Poland before the upcoming world championship of this age category in Thailand.
"We are in the Olympic center of Polish athletes in Walcz, where there are excellent conditions for preparation. There are about thirty wrestlers here, and among them are names like the Russian Abdusalamov, who will represent Tajikistan at the Olympics in London. We will definitely come here again with the cadets before the World Championships in Baku. For now, coach Dancák has them in preparation at home."
Korzár, Thursday, July 26, 2012, Bohuš Matia