The 2026 National Youth SAMBO Championship will take place from November 26 to December 1 in Changchun, Jilin Province, sport.gov.cn announced on Thursday.
The State Sports General Administration Weightlifting, Wrestling and Judo Sports Management Center will host the tournament. The Changchun Sports Bureau and Changchun Sports Center are organizing the event.
The competition features Sport SAMBO across three distinct age categories: U16 for athletes born between 2011 and 2012, U18 for those born between 2009 and 2010, and U25 for competitors born between 2002 and 2008, according to sport.gov.cn.
Local sports authorities, industry sports associations, and higher education institutions must register participating athletes through online channels. Teams face a November 24 deadline to transfer the 400 yuan per person entry fee to the Changchun Judo Association account.
Competitors will contest multiple weight categories tailored to youth and young adult development. The U16 division includes nine men’s classes ranging from 46kg to over 88kg, and nine women’s classes from 41kg to over 72kg, sport.gov.cn reported.
The U18 and U25 categories feature eight men’s weight divisions starting at 53kg and extending above 98kg. Women’s brackets for these older groups span from 47kg up to the over-80kg division.
All participants must bring compliant SAMBO uniforms free of national, religious, or political markings. Athletes will undergo a weigh-in procedure without uniforms on November 28.
The tournament follows the latest International SAMBO Federation rules with strict limitations on high-risk techniques to protect youth competitors, sport.gov.cn stated. Single-elimination formats apply to divisions with six or more entrants, while groups of five or fewer will compete in a round-robin format.
Match durations are set at four minutes for U16 and U18 competitors, while U25 matches will run for five minutes. Referees will strictly penalize illegal strikes, malicious fouls, and dangerous joint locks or chokes.
Teams must submit health certificates issued within the past six months and personal accident insurance documentation upon arrival in Changchun on November 27.
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