Turkmen sambists won 26 medals at the Asian and Oceania Championship held in Astana (Kazakhstan).
According to the official website of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS), about 500 athletes from 22 countries took part in the competition: Australia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Hong Kong, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, People's Republic of China, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Philippines, and FIAS team 1.
According to the President of the Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania, Alamjon Mullaev, the Asian and Oceania Championship has become historic: for the first time, a continental championship among blind and visually impaired athletes was held within its framework. For a number of weight categories, the competition also became a qualifying tournament for the World Martial Arts Games, which will be held from October 21 to 30 in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Another feature of the tournament was the combat sambo competition among juniors, also held for the first time.
Turkmen athletes excelled both in the combat version of sambo and in the sports version among young men (not older than 18), men and women, having won a total of 3 gold, 7 silver and 16 bronze medals.
Juniors were the first to compete for awards in combat sambo. In this type of program, the gold medal in the team of Turkmenistan was won by Ismail Ataev (weight category up to 64 kg), who won in the final against Serik Shadiyar (Kazakhstan), and the bronze went to Kerim Kerimov (up to 58 kg) and Allanazar Orazmuhammedov (up to 79 kg).
In sports sambo among young men, Rustam Annamuhammedov (up to 98 kg) and Jamaludin Gurbanov (over 98 kg) received bronze medals. It is noteworthy that Jamaludin won another bronze medal in the same heavyweight category among juniors.
In the men's tournament in sports sambo, the gold medal for the Turkmenistan team was won by Guvanch Begaliev (up to 98 kg), who defeated Ikhtiyor Eshmurodov (Uzbekistan) in the final. Silver medals were awarded to Begench Baltaev (up to 79 kg) and Dovlet Islamov (over 98 kg), and bronze medals went to Arslan Ismailov (up to 58 kg), Kakageldi Egenbaev (up to 71 kg). Another bronze was won by Batyr Hodjamuhammedov in the weight category over 88 kg, in which the selection for the World Martial Arts Games was held.
In the women's tournament, Jahan Muhammedova (up to 80 kg) rose to the second step of the podium, and Aziza Nazarova (up to 50 kg), Dinara Ivadullayeva (up to 54 kg) and Madina Aydogdiyeva (up to 59 kg) went up to the third step.
In combat sambo for men, Novruz Ataev (up to 58 kg) and Muhammetniyaz Gurbandurdyev (up to 79 kg) achieved silver success, losing in the final respectively to Miras Ualiyev (Kazakhstan) and Furkat Ruziev (Uzbekistan). Bronze - David Avchyan (up to 71 kg), Mammetgurban Mammetgurbanov (up to 88 kg) and Babajan Ivadullayev (over 98 kg).
Among women in combat sambo, Maksuda Egemberdiyeva won gold. She achieved this success in the heavy weight category over 80 kg, in which three sambo wrestlers competed for medals. In the final, Maksuda defeated Zulfiya Muhamedyarova (Kazakhstan) and climbed to the highest step of the podium. Silver medals were awarded to Aylar Melikova in the category up to 50 kg, in which two athletes competed, and Veronika Rus (up to 54 kg). In the final, Aylar lost to Zhadyra Payyz (Kazakhstan), and Vernika lost to Musharraf Ibodullayeva (Uzbekistan). Bronze medals were awarded to Violetta Krovyakova (up to 65 kg) and Jahan Muhammedova (up to 80 kg).
At last year's Asian Championships in the Lebanese city of Jounieh, sambists of Turkmenistan won 22 medals (3 gold, 5 silver and 14 bronze) - four less than this year.
The first place in the team event was taken by the hosts of the championship - the national team of Kazakhstan, having won 60 medals (29 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze). The second place belongs to the national team of Uzbekistan with 41 medals (18 gold, 10 silver and 13 bronze). The third was the team of Mongolia: 30 medals (5 gold, 10 silver, 15 bronze). In total, medals were distributed to 14 countries.
