Al-Anbat – Minas Bani Yasin
Jordan has added another remarkable achievement to its sports legacy by hosting the U17 World Wrestling Championship. The championship stood out for its high level of organization and management, making it one of the most successful wrestling events globally, earning widespread praise from international and Asian sports federations, as well as participants from various countries.
In a statement to Al-Anbat, President of the Jordan Wrestling Federation, Mohammed Al-Awamleh, emphasized the significance of this achievement, marking Jordan's third successful international hosting of major wrestling events. "Jordan has become a formidable force in the global wrestling arena, setting new standards in hosting world-class tournaments," Al-Awamleh said.
He added that the event received the highest evaluation from the International Wrestling Federation (UWW), and they received numerous letters of gratitude from participating federations, including the UWW and the Asian Wrestling Federation.
On the technical front, Al-Awamleh noted that Jordanian wrestlers gained significant experience by competing with athletes from around the world. The championship also showcased several promising Jordanian athletes who are likely to become future champions, with potential appearances on victory podiums soon.
The championship also brought national economic benefits. Al-Awamleh highlighted that thousands of athletes, fans, and visitors participated in the event, with around 5,000 attendees at the Asian Championship and 3,000 at the Arab Championship. Approximately 1,500 visitors came to Jordan, witnessing top-tier organization and management.
Al-Awamleh pointed out that many attendees visited Jordan’s tourist attractions, shopped, and used hotels, restaurants, and taxis, boosting the economy. Furthermore, they undoubtedly spread a positive image of Jordan, praising its hospitality, organization, and respect for others, thus enhancing Jordan’s global reputation.
From a regional perspective, Al-Anbat spoke with Syrian sports journalist Adeeb Fares, who expressed his joy at being in Jordan, which he referred to as his "second home." He praised the high level of organization at the championship.
Fares shared his thoughts in an article he wrote after the tournament, titled, "Jordan Puts the World in a Difficult Position Regarding Event Organization.” The article was driven by the feedback from participants, international observers, and fans, all affirming that the championship was among the best-organized in the world. This, Fares noted, would place considerable pressure on future host nations to meet such high standards.
He also commended the level of competition, highlighting the impressive performances of the Romanian, American, Kazakh, Uzbek, and Iranian teams in freestyle wrestling. Fares, drawing on his extensive sports experience, stated during the tournament's press conference that the Jordanian team would surely reap the rewards of this championship in the near future.
Despite technical differences, Fares said that Jordanian wrestlers performed admirably and were formidable opponents on the mat.
He concluded by thanking Jordan, the Jordanian Wrestling Federation, and the Jordan Olympic Committee, represented by HRH Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein, for their excellence in hosting and organizing the event.
In seeking feedback from participants, Al-Anbat also spoke with the Turkish Wrestling Federation, which expressed great satisfaction with its involvement in the U17 World Championship, a key event in the UWW’s 2024 program.
The Turkish Wrestling Federation stated, "We were very pleased with the attention given to our national team from the start of the championship, and we were warmly welcomed in Jordan.”
The federation’s president added, "In this tournament, our athletes achieved great success: Umut Talha Uslu secured third place in freestyle wrestling, Fatih Aydın also earned third place in freestyle, and Özdünur Özmez placed third in the women’s category.”
During their stay in Jordan, the Turkish delegation had the opportunity to visit the Martyrs' Memorial, built to honor 300 soldiers who were martyred during World War I.
"We would like to extend our thanks to the Jordan Wrestling Federation for organizing this event, and we look forward to visiting Jordan again in the future,” the federation concluded.
