Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Dong Liang) news: On March 8, 2025, the 2025 International Wrestling Challenge Tournament was held in Turpan, known as the "Land of Fire." Seventy-three wrestlers from four countries, namely China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Cuba, engaged in intense competition.

Photo taken on March 8, 2025 shows the 2025 International Wrestling Challenge Tournament held in Turpan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Dong Liang)

The competition focuses on men's freestyle wrestling and features five weight categories: 65 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg, and 125 kg. The tournament adopts a single-elimination with full repechage format. A total of six teams from four countries participated. They are the Xinjiang team and Turpan City team from China, the Almaty City team and Astana City team from Kazakhstan, and the national teams from Kyrgyzstan and Cuba.

Photo shows teams from China's Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Cuba compete in the 2025 International Wrestling Challenge Tournament held in Turpan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Dong Liang)

The Cuban national wrestling team made its debut in the competition held in Xinjiang, China. As a world-class powerhouse, its participation significantly enhanced the competitiveness and spectacle of the event. Arturo Silot Torres, a member of the team who had competed in the Paris Olympics, was in the same 97 kg weight category as Habila Awusayiman, an athlete from Xinjiang representing China. However, due to different groupings, the two never faced each other on the Olympic stage. In this tournament, Arturo demonstrated formidable strength, securing overwhelming victories in every match. His appearances were met with enthusiastic cheers from the audience, as if he were enjoying a home-court advantage.

Photo shows athletes from Kyrgyzstan and Cuba remain poised and ready to strike during the 2025 International Wrestling Challenge Tournament held in Turpan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Dong Liang)

Arturo said that the audience there was incredibly enthusiastic and that he really enjoyed the atmosphere, which made every match exciting for him. He added that he was happy to showcase his wrestling skills to them and expressed his hope of having the opportunity to compete in China’s Xinjiang again in the future.

Habila, who had just returned from a training camp with the Chinese national wrestling team, also came to watch the match. Due to his upcoming participation in the Asian Wrestling Championships, he missed this competition and once again missed the chance to compete against Arturo. He also expressed his hope that the Cuban team would visit China more often for exchanges and mutual improvement.

Photo shows Cuban Olympic wrestler Arturo Silot Torres competes against an athlete from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region during the 2025 International Wrestling Challenge Tournament held in Turpan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Dong Liang)

"We hope that by hosting this event, we can provide a platform for athletes from different countries to compete together, promoting sports, cultural, and technical exchanges between China and other nations," said Yang Yong, deputy secretary of the leading Party members' group of and deputy director of the Turpan Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, Television, and Tourism. He added that the event has ignited enthusiasm among the local cadres and the public, while also boosting the development of local industries such as catering, accommodation, and transportation through the integration of sports and tourism. Furthermore, it has enhanced the reputation and influence of Turpan.

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