President of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) Vasily Shestakov hopes to build on sambo's success at the European Games and turn it into an Olympic sport in the future.

Sambo was put into the spotlight in Baku yesterday, with eight gold medals up for grabs across a variety of weight divisions.

Shestakov told reporters: "It is a great possibility and beautiful chance for our sport to develop sambo and promote it in Europe as well as all over the world.

"We have big plans to promote sambo in western Europe. I see the future of sambo as a future as an Olympic sport. Right now we are working to improve the situation with including sambo into the programme of African Games and PanAmerican Games."

Russia's Anna Kharitonova was the first athlete to win sambo gold yesterday.