Guangzhou, China, July 14, 2026: The OCA-UWW Asian Wrestling Youth Camp and Course for Coaches took a break from the technical side of the sport on Monday, July 13, to focus on Olympic values.
OCA Director Wissam Trkmani led the session at the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports auditorium as the 62 athletes and 30 coaches from 30 National Olympic Committees sat in a semi-circle to soak up the information.
Mr. Trkmani was supported by representatives from United World Wrestling, including Armenian grappler Arsen Julfalakyan – a three-time Olympian and London 2012 silver medallist in Greco-Roman wrestling.
The session was based on the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect and underlined the IOC’s Olympic Values and Education Programme (OVEP).
In particular, the attendees learned how these Olympic values can be applied to everyday life, away from the sports arena.
The session was very inter-active, with athletes and coaches being asked for their own interpretations of the Olympic values and how they have seen them in action during the camp.
In conclusion, several athletes and coaches summed up their experiences in Guangzhou, with contributions from Timor-Leste, Pakistan, Philippines and Palestine among others.
The general consensus was that the youth camp had not only opened their eyes to new coaching techniques and training methods but also had introduced them to different cultures and people, all joined by a common passion for wrestling and the Olympic movement.
