Serguei SMAL

Sergey Smal took up wrestling in 1978 and made the Soviet national team in 1990. Until 1994, Smal competed in Greco-Roman bantamweight class and, from then until his retirement from sports at the start of 2000s, in the Greco-Roman featherweight class. During his career Smal won Olympic silver in 1992, was World Champion in 1991 and won the 1991 World Cup. He also captured silver at the 1994 World Championships, bronze at the 1990 World Championships, silver at the 1993, 1998 and 2000 European Championships and bronze at the 1995 and 1996 European Championships. He also won the Soviet title in 1991 and the CIS title in 1992. After finishing his sporting career, Smal worked as a wrestling coach. From 2006-09 and since 2010 he has been head coach of the Belorussian national junior team and, from 2009-10, was head coach of the Belorussian national women’s team. Since 1995, an annual junior freestyle wrestling tournament in his honor has been held in Homel, Belarus.