The case in summary Karin Boine, who started wrestling as a four-year-old, could no longer compete in wrestling after becoming a mother due to the weight limit of 85 kg for senior women in Norway. She started sumo wrestling in January 2024, where there is no upper weight limit. Less than half a year later, Boine participated in the European Sumo Wrestling Championships in Greece, where she finished in fifth place. Secretary General of the Norwegian Wrestling Association, Morten Sandnæs, says that it is difficult to have a higher weight limit for wrestling in Norway due to few female athletes, but there is an ongoing discussion about changing this. Boine has qualified for the World Championships in sumo wrestling, and plans to continue competing in the sport. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – I think it was very boring, she says about not being able to compete anymore. Karin Boine is from the village of Tana in Finnmark. At the age of four, she started wrestling, and she continued to do so actively until she was around 15 years old. After that, she has been on and off in the environment. In 2022, she had her first child. When she wanted to return to wrestling, there was one thing that stood in the way. – After I became a mother, I couldn’t compete in wrestling because I was too heavy, says Boine. In Norway, you cannot compete in the senior class for women if you weigh more than 85 kg. – This means that not everyone is included, says Boine. Karin Boine was no longer allowed to compete in wrestling after she became a mother and had become too heavy. Photo: Karin Boine / Private “Wake-up call” Although Karin Boine cannot compete in wrestling, she does not hang her head. After she had her son, she became even more aware of doing things she likes. – I got a little “wake-up call” about what I want to do with my life, says Boine. One of those things is sports. That’s why she tried out sumo wrestling. There is no upper weight limit. Karin Boine is satisfied with fifth place in the EC in sumo wrestling. Photo: Private Although sumo wrestling and traditional wrestling have things in common, they are two different sports with different rules and techniques. – I actually started sumo wrestling in January. And the first time I tried it properly was at the Norwegian sumo championships, she says. There she got second place in heavyweight. With only one competition in her luggage and four sumo training sessions, she packed her things and traveled to Louthraki in Greece to participate in the European Sumo Wrestling Championships. Before the EC, she set herself a goal – to win at least one match. – And I managed that, she says. – It was quite an experience. I have never taken part in such a large event before, neither in sumo nor wrestling, she says. She made it to the bronze final and finished in fifth place out of eight participants, which she says she is satisfied with. The transition to sumo wrestling has gone well for her, but there are many new things she has had to train and think about. – I want to be a good role model for my son. I want him to learn that nothing should get in the way of doing what you want, she says. During the EC, Karin Boine competed against some of the world’s best sumo wrestlers. Photo: NEKTARIOS TZAKOS / Panhellenic Sumo Federation Few female athletes In Norway, both traditional wrestling and sumo wrestling are organized under the Norwegian Wrestling Federation (NBF), but internationally there are two separate federations. Morten Sandnæs, general secretary of the NBF, says that the association does not want to exclude anyone, but explains that the weight limit in wrestling has, among other things, to do with the number of athletes. – In practice, there are so few female athletes nationally who participate, that there would probably be no competition in even higher weight classes, he says. In addition, he points out that traditional wrestling can be risky in terms of injuries. – That is why it is also regulated in the regulations that you cannot weigh too much less than competitors, explains Sandnæs. Morten Sandnæs, general secretary of the NBF, says that the weight limit is, among other things, about the fact that there are few female athletes in wrestling. Nevertheless, the limit in Norway is higher than internationally, where it is 76 kg. Photo: Norges Bryteforbund There is still a discussion in the NBF about changing the upper limits in traditional wrestling at national level. – If you see that there are enough athletes to create a real competition nationally, our regulations in Norway will probably be adapted quite quickly in relation to that, says the general secretary. Qualified for the WC The coach of the national sumo team Sigmund Røtnes Widerberg says that sumo wrestling is a relatively small but growing sport in Norway. He boasts of Boine’s performance and effort during the EC, and now she has been selected to be Norway’s representative in the heavyweight class for women during the WC in Poland. – If you are good enough, if you want to, if you have what it takes both physically and in the heart, then we make no artificial demands. If you are the best in your weight class, then of course we will take you out, says Widerberg. Each country can only select one person in each class for the World Championships. – For sumo wrestling, the World Cup is the most important thing that happens, it is the World Cup that counts, says the national team coach passionately. Boine boasts of the good cohesion in the national sumo team. Photo: Rolf Røtnes And Boine have both desire and motivation to continue. – I had even more desire to do this sport after the EC. I will take the experience I gained at the championship with me further so that I can improve and achieve a podium place, says Boine. She is very proud of the sport and the mentality of the national team, and is inspired by the diversity that sport brings. – Age is not that important and you look the way you do. Everyone can join, she concludes. Published 13.06.2024, at 05.34
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Started with sumo wrestling in January – now she is qualified for the WC – news Sápmi
