DUSHANBE, July 15, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Tajik sambo wrestler Komronsho Ustopiriyon has grabbed the silver medal for Tajikistan, finishing second in the men’s sambo in the 90 kg weight category at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia.

Sambo is a Russian combat sport.  Sambo is relatively modern since its development began in the early 1920s by the Soviet Red Army to improve their hand-to-hand combat abilities.  Intended to be a merger of the most effective techniques of other martial arts, Sambo has roots in Japanese Judo, international styles of wrestling, plus traditional folk styles of wrestling such as: Armenian Kokh, Georgian Chidaoba, Romanian Trinta, Tatar Koras, Uzbek Kurash, Mongolian Khapsagay, and Azerbaijani Gulesh.

Ustopiriyon’s medal is the fourth medal won by Tajik athletes at the 2013 Summer Universiade so far.  According to the 2013 Summer Universiade’ website, Tajik athletes also won three medals (one silver and two bronze) in the men’s belt wrestling.

Belt Wrestling is a form of wrestling that is one of the oldest historically recorded sports.  It involves contestants aiming to knock each other over by grappling with a belt.

According to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Tajikistan, 45 Tajik athletes are competing in nine sports at the 2013 Summer Universiade that kicked off on July 6 and will last till July 17.

The 2013 Summer Universiade, officially known as the XXVII Summer Universiade, is being held from July 6 to 17 in the city of Kazan, Russia, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.  It is reportedly the second largest sport participation event in the world.  More than 13,500 University athletes from over 170 countries are participating in 13 mandatory and 14 optional sports, making the Universiade the biggest ever in the history of the event. The Universiade is organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), based in Lausanne, Switzerland.  351 sets of medals will be distributed in the two weeks of the competition.