The Turkmenistan sambo team won 10 medals: 1 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze, at the World Cup held in Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyzstan). More than 250 athletes from 14 countries took part in the competition, competing for the title of the strongest in 26 weight categories in sport and combat sambo among men and women, the publication “Turkmenistan: Golden Age” reports.
Following the results of the World Cup, Turkmenistan took fourth place in the overall team standings, losing only to the teams of Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The gold medal for the Turkmenistan national team in sports sambo in the weight category up to 64 kg was brought by 24 years old Niyazmyrat Babekov, who won victories over opponents from Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
Silver medals were awarded to combat sambo representatives: 29 years old Yusup Tanriberdiyev in the weight category up to 58 kg and 31 years old Zarina Abdyrahmanova in the weight category up to 54 kg. Both athletes managed to win twice on their way to the final.
The bronze medalists in the Turkmenistan team were: Aziza Nazarova (up to 50 kg, sport sambo), Babamurat Bayramov (up to 58 kg, sport sambo), Kambar Umarov (up to 71 kg, sport sambo), Kerim Kerimov (up to 64 kg, combat sambo), Gulzada Jorakuliyeva (up to 72 kg, combat sambo), Agasapar Muhadov (up to 79 kg, combat sambo), and Maksat Annagylyjov (up to 88 kg, combat sambo).
The President of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) Vasily Shestakov highly praised the performance of the Turkmen sambo wrestlers, noting the good quality of the fight they demonstrated at the tournament. The World Cup in Kyrgyzstan has become an important stage in the athletes' preparation for the upcoming major competitions, including the World Sambo Championship in Kazakhstan and the selection for the 2025 World Games in China.