ASTANA, November 8. /TASS/. Russian sambo wrestlers have won four gold medals on the first day of the World Sambo Championships that have kicked off in Kazakhstan's capital city of Astana.

In the men's competitions, gold medals were won by Sheikh-Mansur Khabibulaev (combat sambo, up to 64 kg), Denis Kalinin (up to 79 kg), Abusupiyan Alikhanov (combat sambo, up to 88 kg). Stepan Soldatenkov (over 98 kg) won the bronze medal. Khabibulaev claimed the title for the sixth time.

In the women's competition, Vera Lotkova (combat sambo, up to 54 kg) won gold, while Tatyana Fyodorova (up to 50 kg), Yekaterina Doroshenko (up to 65 kg), Yana Polyakova (combat sambo, up to 72 kg) and Olga Artoshina (over 80 kg) won silver medals.

The World Sambo Championships are held on November 8-10. The Russians are competing under the International Sambo Federation banner.