Sport
Turkmen boxers performed well at an international tournament in Bangkok
20.03.2026Turkmenistan’s youth boxing team has returned to Ashgabat following a successful performance at the ‘2026 World Boxing Futures Cup’ International Tournament. This was reported by IIC. The competition took place in Bangkok from 8 to 15 March and attracted over 450 athletes from 78 countries. The tournament served as a qualifying round for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. Amidst fierce competition among U19 boxers, bronze medals were won by Ismail Orazmyradov (up to 75 kg) and Soyunali Ovezgeldiyev (up to 90 kg). The athletes demonstrated a high level of technique and a will to win. The success in Thailand confirms the competitiveness of the Turkmen boxing school and the quality of training for the national team’s reserves. The results of the tournament open up prospects for young athletes to participate in the Youth Olympic Games and for further professional development.
Turkmenistan's 3x3 basketball teams are training in Manila
18.03.2026Turkmenistan’s national 3x3 basketball teams have begun a crucial phase of their preparations for the international season. The men’s and women’s teams have arrived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, for a training camp. This was reported by IIC. The choice of the Philippines is due to the high level of basketball development in the region and the need to adapt to the intense pace of play ahead of important competitions. The training camp will run from 17 to 31 March. Twenty of the country’s leading athletes are taking part — ten representatives each from the men’s and women’s teams. The delegation is led by Myahrijemal Jumageldiyeva. Training is being provided by the men’s national team head coach Rustam Bagshiyev and the women’s team coach Maksim Otbozin. The programme includes work on physical fitness and tactical schemes for the 3x3 format. The main aim of the camp is to prepare for the 3x3 Asian Basketball Cup in Singapore. The intensive training sessions will help to hone the players’ teamwork and boost their confidence in competition. Participation in overseas training camps reflects Turkmenistan’s desire to strengthen its position in the Asian basketball rankings and compete successfully against the continent’s strongest teams.
Turkmen chess players secured podium places at a tournament in Bukhara
18.03.2026From 9 to 15 March, the 4th International Women’s Chess Tournament was held in Bukhara, featuring players from nine countries. The competition was held using the Swiss system across three groups: Masters, Challengers and Futures. This was reported by IIC. The representatives from Turkmenistan achieved excellent results. Myahri Agamyradova from Turkmenabat took first place among girls under 16 in the Challengers group. In the Futures group, Enesh Arazmedova from Ashgabat came fifth. Gulmira Seyilhanova from Turkmenabat took seventh place. The tournament featured female chess players from Austria, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Chess Federation of Turkmenistan congratulated the athletes on their results.
Turkmen boxers won two bronze medals at the tournament in Bangkok
17.03.2026Turkmen boxers won two bronze medals at the ‘World Boxing Futures Cup 2026’ International Tournament in Bangkok. The competition took place from 8 to 15 March, reports IIC. Ismail Orazmyradov won bronze in the under-75kg weight category, whilst Soyunaly Ovezgeldiyev secured a medal in the under-90kg category. Both athletes demonstrated a high level of preparation and tenacity in their bouts. The performance of the Turkmen boxers reflects the development of the sport in the country and the improvement in the skills of national athletes on the international stage.
The Turkmenistan karate team won two bronze medals at the Krakow Cup
16.03.2026From 10 to 17 March, Krakow (Poland) hosted the Krakow Cup, an international tournament in traditional karate, which attracted over 870 athletes from 14 countries. The Turkmenistan national team won two bronze medals at the tournament, according to the IIC. Selim Myratdurdyev finished third in the adult category for athletes over 21 years of age. Medine Gaylyeva won bronze in the 12–13-year-old girls’ category. She represents the 1st Sports School of the Ashgabat Main Directorate for Physical Culture and Sport and is a Year 8 pupil at Balkanabat Secondary School No. 20. These successes confirm the high level of training of Turkmen karateka and provide valuable international experience for young athletes.
FC ‘Arkadag’ has won the Turkmenistan Football Federation Cup
14.03.2026The Turkmenistan Football Federation Cup concluded in Ashgabat on 12 March. ‘Arkadag’ and ‘Şagadam’ faced off in the final at the ‘Aşgabat’ Stadium, according to the IIC of Turkmenistan. The reigning champions confirmed their status with a 2-0 victory: Meylis Diniyev scored in the 3rd minute, and Didar Durdyev sealed the win in the 61st minute, securing FC ‘Arkadag’s second consecutive title. In the third-place play-off, ‘Ahal’ beat ‘Aşgabat’ 2-0: Ashyr Jumadurdyev scored in the 79th minute, and an own goal by Mergen Nurlyev sealed the final score. An awards ceremony was held after the final. Eight teams took part in the tournament, divided into groups: Group A – ‘Köpetdag’, ‘Ahal’, ‘Şagadam’, ‘Nebitçi’; Group B – ‘Arkadag’, ‘Aşgabat’, ‘Merw’ and the U-20 national team.
The Turkmenistan U-17 team will compete in the CAFA U-17 Championship in Tashkent
14.03.2026Turkmenistan’s youth national team will compete in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) U-17 Championship. The tournament will take place in Tashkent from 4 to 14 April, according to the news website Turkmenportal. The matches will be held at the ‘Do'stlik’ Stadium in Tashkent. In addition to the Turkmenistan team, the national teams of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will take part in the competition. Players born on or after 1 January 2010 are eligible to participate in the tournament. The CAFA notes that the championship is aimed at preparing the region’s youth national teams for future continental and world tournaments. The match schedule and further details will be published at a later date.
Turkmen karate fighters will test their strength at a tournament in Krakow
12.03.2026The Turkmenistan national traditional karate team will take part in international competitions in Krakow (Poland) from 10 to 17 March 2026, according to IIC. The delegation consists of 14 people — 11 athletes and a coaching staff led by Diyar Hojaev. The trip is organised with the support of the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sport and the National Traditional Karate Federation. The tournament will be an opportunity for Turkmen karatekas to test their strength and compete with athletes from other countries.
The ‘Hanmudo’ Federation of Turkmenistan strengthens its position on the international stage
11.03.2026Orif Buharakov, Chairman of the ‘Hanmudo’ Martial Arts Federation of Turkmenistan and Honoured Coach of the country, received a 4th dan black belt in hapkido. The certificate was issued after he successfully passed an international exam, according to IIC. The certification was conducted under the supervision of the President of the Global Hapkido Federation, Han Jung Doo (X dan), and included a two-hour strength programme with a demonstration of about 400 technical defence and attack techniques. The new status allows Buharakov to open international schools and independently conduct black belt examinations up to and including III dan. The ‘Hanmudo’ Federation, headed by Buharakov, oversees several disciplines: hapkido, pencak silat, kabaddi, universal combat and MMA. Last year, the organisation held the first ever Turkmenbashi Hapkido Championship in the ‘light’ discipline, bringing together athletes from all regions of the country. Turkmen fighters confirm the high level of the domestic school on the international arena. Last year, they won more than 50 medals at the Asian and World Universal Fighting Championships, including 17 gold medals. Buharakov himself became world champion in the classic programme and vice-champion in the ‘light’ discipline in the weight category up to 90 kg. The new sports season also promises to be intense. On 23–24 March, Ashgabat will host city championships in MMA, universal and hand-to-hand combat. Similar competitions are planned in the Balkan, Lebap and Mary velayats. At the end of the month, the national team will represent Turkmenistan at an international tournament in Uzbekistan.
Fans of FC ‘Arkadag’ raised the flag of Turkmenistan to a height of 5,137 metres
07.03.2026From 1 to 6 March, with the support of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Turkey, members of the ‘Arkadag’ Football Club fan club climbed Turkey's highest peak, Mount Ararat. This was reported by IIC. The expedition was timed to coincide with the announcement of 2026 under the slogan ‘Independent Neutral Turkmenistan − the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses’ and the 35th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence. The initiative is aimed at developing sports diplomacy and promoting an active lifestyle. The group was led by Turkmen student and mountaineer Agajan Ovlyakuliyev. Over six days, the participants conquered a difficult high-altitude route and reached the summit of Ararat at an altitude of 5,137 metres, where they unfurled the national flag of Turkmenistan, the logo of FC ‘Arkadag’ and the symbol of 2026. In addition, with the assistance of the Embassy and on the initiative of Turkmen students, ‘Arkadag’ fan clubs were established in Ankara and Antalya. According to the organisers, this demonstrates the growing interest in the Turkmen club abroad and the active participation of young people in the development of cultural and sporting ties between Turkmenistan and Turkey.
A Sergey Karyakin chess school is planned to be launched in Ashgabat
04.03.2026Turkmenistan became the most representative foreign delegation at the ‘Russian Chess Crown’ festival in the Moscow region. Following the visit of the Head of the national federation, Vepa Malikgulyev, to Moscow, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed and an Agreement was reached on opening Sergey Karyakin's chess school in Ashgabat, according to the news agency Orient. Negotiations with the President of the Moscow Region Chess Federation, Sergey Karyakin, and the organisation's Executive Director, Albert Minnullin, gave the partnership a practical character. The new club in Ashgabat will become a training centre for young players and a venue for master classes and international tournaments. The parties also discussed the development of children's and youth programmes, distance learning and the participation of Turkmen chess players in the ‘Asian Chess League’ series and other tournaments in Russia. Sergey Karyakin thanked the Turkmenistan leadership for their support of intellectual sports, noting the active participation of the Turkmen team in the festival.
Turkmenistan will be represented at the sports programming championship
03.03.2026Programmers from Turkmenistan will take part in the final of the ‘Central Asia Programming Championship 2026’ International Programming Competition, according to the Orient news agency. The final competition will take place on 27 March in Shymkent (Kazakhstan) as part of the ‘Digital Qazaqstan 2026’ forum. The tournament will feature the best developers from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. After online selection held on 28 February, the finalists will solve complex algorithmic problems at the ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest) level. The prize fund for the championship is 3 million tenge: 1.5 million for first place, 1 million for second place, and 500,000 for third place. The organisers (Alem.ai Foundation, Astana Hub and the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation) will cover the finalists' travel and accommodation expenses. In addition to the competition, participants will enjoy an educational programme with presentations by senior developers from Meta, Google, Booking and other IT companies, creating opportunities for networking and career contacts.
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