sports

The Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin Tournament took place in Krasnoyarsk of Russia between January 29 and February 1.

The event is held annually in honour of Ivan Yarygin, Russia’s two-time Olympic champion and four-time world champion. This year’s tournament brought together over 500 excellent men and women players from 20-odd countries.

The participating nations sent to the competition their competent players with great physical strength and rich experience.

The host country of Russia also fielded the players who ranked in the top three at regional championships and those who were distinguishing themselves in domestic competitions.

The participants competed for 10 gold medals in the women’s wrestling event of the tournament.

The DPRK wrestlers participated in it with the determination to present the first gold medals of this year to their motherland on the threshold of the historic Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea.

Won Myong Gyong trounced an Uzbek player 4-0 in the first match and defeated all other opponents in succession by overwhelming margins, thus winning a gold medal in the women's 50kg category.

Choe Hyo Gyong beat her rivals with great physical strength to take the first place in the 53kg category and Son Il Sim also won a gold in the 57kg category.

Kim Ok Ju showed of her remarkable ability in the 62kg category. She overpowered her opponent 12-2 in the final by applying various techniques.

It was the 68kg category that drew the special attention of amateurs and experts.

Pak Sol Gum played the final match with a Russian, who was a European wrestling champion in 2025 and an odds-on favourite in the weight category. She gave full play to her forte while actively and steadily speeding up attack and thereby defeated her opponent by a fall to win a gold.

The DPRK players bagged eight medals including five golds in the tournament, giving great delight to all the Korean people.

After the tournament, many foreign amateurs and experts highly praised them for having unfolded thrilling scenes.

“These five golds are the fruition of our players’ pride in being Koreans and Korean sportspersons,” said Kim Il, secretary general of the Wrestling Association of the DPRK.