DECEMBER 30 - THE British Wrestling Association (BWA) have announced that Ukrainian Anatolii Kharytoniuk, a former world championship silver medallist, has been appointed as the national performance coach as the sport begins preparations for the 2012 Olympics. 

 

 

Malcolm Morley, the BWA's chairman, said: “He will be based in Manchester and his main place of work will be at the Wrestling Academy, Salford.

 

"I am sure we all wish him well in the challenge that lies ahead namely automatic qualification for the Beijing Olympics and producing potential medallists for the 2012 Olympics.”

 

Prior to this appointment Kharytoniuk was the head coach of the Ukrainian women's team and amongst the many champions he has coached is Irina Merleni, winner of an Olympic gold medal in Athens two years ago.

 

Kharytoniuk, the 1975 world championship silver medallist, is married with a son and it is planned that his family will join him in Manchester in the near future.