British Wrestling Academy

Wrestling is a sport as old as mankind itself. Since the dawn of time men have been pitted against each other in physical hand-to-hand combat, making this almost certainly the most ancient of Olympic sports.

It’s a simple concept: two men or women wrestle until one is declared the winner. Over the years, wrestling techniques have become more sophisticated and generally speaking the winner of any wrestling bout is the person who has the better technique, strength and overall fitness.

Wrestling is split into Greco-Roman and Freestyle disciplines. In Freestyle wrestling the competitors have a much greater freedom. They can use not only their arms and bodies, but also their legs and can take a hold of their opponent anywhere that allows them to overpower and gain total control of them. WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment, as its name entertainment suggests, bears no resemblance to wrestling as a sport.

The last British Olympic medal winner was Noel Loban at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. But GB wrestlers are getting back into world contention, with a Gold medal in the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, a Bronze medal in the 2012 World Championships and a Bronze medal in the 2016 Junior European Championships.