Mohammad Bena: “This technical mastery also requires physical preparation”

January 23, 2026

The national Greco-Roman wrestling team’s training camp in Goygol is ongoing.

In the preparation process that began on January 14, greater emphasis is being placed on physical training. Head coach Mohammad Bena shared his thoughts on the progress of the camp, upcoming competitions, and future plans:

“We have started our training camps. The first stage is about getting acquainted, followed by planning. The period leading up to the European Championship on April 20 is the first phase of our preparation, and during this time there are several competitions. These include the ranking tournament in Albania, the U23 European Championship, and finally the Senior European Championship starting on April 20. During this period, we plan to hold five to six training camps. After that, various competitions and camps will continue. With God’s help, we will reach peak form by the time of the World Championship.

This is the beginning of the work, and it is mainly for the coaching staff and the wrestlers to get to know each other. Ultimately, our training process is aimed at gradually increasing the level of preparedness so that, God willing, we can be fully ready for different competitions.

Azerbaijan is among the top two or three countries in the world in Greco-Roman wrestling. Accepting the position of head coach of this team is a great honor for me. I have been familiar with Azerbaijani wrestling for many years. Azerbaijani athletes have always possessed high technical quality, but this technical mastery also requires physical preparation.

Physical and technical preparation are important, but there are some subtle details. When we add psychological preparation, these three elements must form a strong chain so that the coaching staff, the federation leadership, and the wrestlers can function as one team and achieve success in various competitions.

The first competition we will participate in is the ranking tournament in Albania. God willing, more than 20 wrestlers who competed in the national championship will take part there. After that, we will participate in other competitions throughout the year.

We have divided our goals for this year into two stages. At the moment, we are starting with familiarization and preparation. The European Championship will be a relatively lower peak point of preparation for us. God willing, we will reach our main peak form at the World Championship, so that together we can achieve great success for Azerbaijani wrestling.”