Meet Igor Mazurenko
New General Secretary of the European Armsport Federation
How long have you been
armwrestling?
I have been in sport since 1999.
How did you get started?
My adventure started while I was living in Poland as the owner of
restaurant serving Ukrainian meals. Once I heard about armwrestling competition
held on Sopot Pier on the radio. I went there to try myself. I won this
competition and was very glad about this success. I started to think seriously
about getting involved in this sport. The question was how to begin and who
could give me some tips.
What happened then?
I had many friends in Ukrainian city Lvov-the cradle of Ukrainian
armwrestling. By these friends of mine I got the contact with Grigoriy Bondaruk,
great Ukrainian armwrestler, known also outside Ukraine. My weight then was 135
kg; I was very interested in bodybuilding, power lifting and bench press. My
record was 265kg; I was 4th in WPC World Championships 1999 in Vienna. After
coming to Lvov I met Grigoriy Bondaruk, who immediately took me to the table- he
wanted to try me at once and his weight was 73kg. My first meeting with him was
awful- loosing with him on the right and on the left hand I was not despondent
but even more interested in armwrestling. It let me understand that I want to
become an armwrestler and the strongest one. 28th of November 1999 body building
event called The Duel Of Giants; was organized. The organizers
proposed to make a tournament between Ukrainian and Polish competitors
presenting armwrestling. Competitors from Lvov: Grigoriy Bondaruk, Andrey
Svitlik and Anton Sobko took the challenge. The heaviest of them, Grigoriy
Bondaruk, was 73kg, Svitlik- 65kg and Sobko 60kg. There were five Polish
competitors, who took the challenge; the lighter one was 75kg and
heaviest-125kg. No Polish competitor had chance in those fights. I, as the main
organizer of this tournament, decided to make the first armwrestling club in
Poland, which would cooperate with European structures. 20th of February 2000
1rst International Tournament Zloty Tur was held. Representatives of Russia,
Ukraine and Poland took part. 10th of March 2000 we were given the official
registration for our club with the office in Gdansk. Since that time Sport Club
Zloty Tur has been organized many tournaments, e.g. European Championships, 4
International Tournaments Zloty Tur Cup; Professionals World Cup1st edition of
Professional League World Championship 2001. We have been the only club working
and living from armwrestling. My armwrestling successes are mainly organizing
successes. I won in Rochefort Ready Go on the left hand in 2000 and on the right
and left in 2002, I took 2nd place in Ukrainian Championships on the left and
right hand and third on the right and left in World Championships in 2002.
What do you do for
Armwrestling workouts?
I train 3 times a week; during my work out I do 3-4 exercises 8-10 series, 15-4
movements in the series. My style is Top Roll but lately I’ve been trying hook
more. I recommend training 3-4 times a week, with most of the exercises in the
gym. Training by the table I recommend once a week.
I understand you are publishing
an armwrestling magazine?
Yes, Sport Club Zloty Tur is the only club publishing
magazine, we are publishing ArmPower magazine. In less than one month there will
be new web site ArmPower on-line where champion’s tips would be published, it
would be possible to ask questions and see some pictures and short movies. This
web site would be in three language versions: Russian, English and Polish, what
makes it more attractive.
Thank you Igor. We look forward to your new site
and magazine.
Dave
