"We approached the tournament as preparation for the European Championship."

These words were stated by Mariya Stadnik, senior coach of the U17 national wrestling team, in an exclusive statement to Offsideplus.az.

She evaluated the performance of the national team at the Tallinn Open youth wrestling tournament held in Estonia:

"The main goal for the girls was to learn, not just to achieve a result. As a coach, it was important for me to observe their condition during the competition, understand their psychology better, and determine an individual approach for each of them. They are all different; each has their own unique talent and personal qualities. The girls competed in 5-7 matches, which provided excellent experience. I was satisfied with their performance because they all fought until the very end.

This was the first competition I participated in as a coach. I know a lot as an athlete, but I am still learning as a coach, and it is too early to speak about my successes in this field."

Stadnik also spoke about the significance of the event: "After the Tallinn Open concluded, we stayed in Estonia to participate in an international training camp. More than 250 athletes from various countries are taking part in this camp. It is a great opportunity for the girls to find sparring partners, which is crucial in the preparation of wrestlers."

It should be noted that under the leadership of senior coach Mariya Stadnik and coach Solmaz Adilova, 7 wrestlers represented the U17 national team in this traditional competition featuring 41 countries. Five of those athletes successfully reached the podium.