Freestyle Wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is one of the two most popular styles of amateur wrestling. In this style, unlike other styles, wrestlers are allowed to use their legs for offense or defense during a bout. The objective of the sport is to pin down the opponent's shoulders onto the mat. Freestyle wrestling is a major sport that is practiced in most countries around the world.
Matches are conducted in indoor arenas on a thick rubber mat that has a 9m diameter. For men there are six categories and for women there are four, based on age, beginning from 14. Age 20 and above fall into the Seniors category for which, men have eight and women have seven, weight classifications.
A match is played for two 30-minute periods. Points, ranging from 1 to 5 are awarded for wrestlers based on their moves on offense. If one player is able to pin the opponent's shoulder onto the ground, called 'win by fall', the player wins immaterial of the points. Points are used to decide the winner in the case where there is no 'win by fall'.
Freestyle wrestling is part of the Olympic Games and is the highest level competition for the sport. The annual World Championships is another major event held for the sport.
Similar Sports
- Greco-Roman — in this style, wrestlers are prohibited from holding any part of the opponent’s body below the waist
- Collegiate Wrestling — a wrestling style practiced exclusively in the United States at a collegiate level
Related Pages
- Freestyle Wrestling at the Olympic Games
- About Types of Wrestling
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Current Events