Sport
The Turkmenistan national team will take part in the CAFA tournament in Tajikistan
06.05.2026The Turkmenistan youth national team (under-20) will take part in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) championship, which will be held in Tajikistan from May 10 to May 20, Asmannews reports. In addition to the Turkmen team, the tournament will feature the national teams of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The competition will be played in a round-robin format, with the winner determined by the highest number of points earned. Live broadcasts of the matches will be available on the official YouTube channel of the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). The organizers say the match schedule will be published at a later date.
Didarbek Dzhumabayev brought Turkmenistan a silver and a bronze medal at the World Weightlifting Championships
06.05.2026Turkmen weightlifter Didarbek Dzhumabayev won a bronze medal in the total (combined lift) and a silver medal in the clean and jerk at the Junior World Championships held in Ismailia, Egypt. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. He competed in the under-79 kg category, recording 148 kg in the snatch and 187 kg in the clean and jerk, for a combined total of 335 kg. The gold medal went to Egyptian lifter Abdulrahman Hamouda (341 kg), while silver was claimed by Armenian athlete Narek Mkrtchyan (336 kg). The Junior World Championships are taking place from May 2 to May 8. Turkmenistan is represented by nine athletes. Previously, Turkmen female athletes in other weight categories did not manage to reach the podium: Ogulshat Amanova placed fourth, Shabnam Kerimbaeva finished eighth, and Medine Amanova completed her performance without any successful attempts.
A referee from Turkmenistan officiated at the final of the beach soccer tournament
05.05.2026Timur Gulmuradov, a FIFA referee from Turkmenistan, was included in the officiating crew for the beach soccer final match at the 6th Asian Beach Games. He worked as the timekeeper in the match between the national teams of Iran and Oman, according to IIC. The competitions were held from April 22 to 30 in the Chinese city of Sanya on Hainan Island. Athletes from 45 countries took part in the Games. The program included 14 sports, among them beach soccer, beach volleyball, jiu-jitsu, climbing, sailing, and aquathlon. The participation of the Turkmen referee in the final served as confirmation of the level of the national refereeing school on the international stage. The Asian Beach Games are held every two years under the auspices of the Olympic Council of Asia. The first edition took place in 2008 in Bali. Later, the Games were hosted by Oman, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Turkmenistan national karate team will compete at the Central Asian Cup in Tashkent
05.05.2026The national traditional karate team of Turkmenistan will travel to Tashkent, where it will take part in a training camp and compete in the Central Asian Cup. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. From May 4 to May 14, the athletes will undergo a preparatory training phase, after which they will participate in the competition from May 14 to May 20. The team consists of 16 karate practitioners, all of whom hold a first adult rank: Serdar Bayryyev, Yunus Muhammedguliyev, Ibrahim Shaguliyev, Bayramgylych Merdanov, Ykhlas Jumanazarov, Daniyor Bakhtiyarov, Eldar Taganov, Cherkez Myradurdyyev, Bazarbay Odaev, Rewshen Geldibaev, Derya Begmamedov, Sylap Toylymyradov, Ykhlas Annagurbanov, Meilis Charyyev, Selim Yanbaev, and Shamil Guseynov. The team’s preparation will be led by coach Aziz Zekeryaev.
Turkmenistan discusses the development of women’s sport and youth initiatives
03.05.2026A two-day seminar was held in Ashgabat to review the results of the pilot programme ‘Youth, Sport and Gender Equality’. This was reported by the IIIC. The event was organised by the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Physical Culture and Sport and UNFPA. The seminar was attended by representatives of government bodies, coaches and volunteers from all regions of the country. Participants discussed the results of projects implemented in five velayats and the capital, aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and increasing the participation of girls and women in sport. Particular attention was paid to the influence of social stereotypes on young people’s engagement in physical activity. Following the seminar, recommendations were put forward on integrating the programme’s methodologies into the school education system, which should contribute to the development of young people and ensure equal opportunities in sport across the country.
Beijing hosted a cycle ride as part of Turkmenistan’s National Health Month
30.04.2026On 29 April in Beijing, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the People’s Republic of China organised a cycle ride to mark National Health Month. This was reported by the publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The event was attended by embassy diplomats, as well as young people from Turkmenistan and China. It was co-organised by the Chinese cycling association ‘Flying Pigeon’, the ‘China-Turkmenistan Cultural Centre’ and the bicycle manufacturer ‘Flying Pigeon’. The cycle ride was held under the slogan ‘Friendship between China and Turkmenistan, low-carbon health and youthful spirit’. The start and finish took place at the Turkmenistan National Pavilion, with the route running through the streets of the Dongjimen district.
The Turkmenistan junior national team is preparing for the World Weightlifting Championships in Egypt
28.04.2026Turkmenistan’s junior weightlifting team has completed its preparations for the World Championships, which will take place from 2 to 8 May in Ismailia, Egypt. The coaching staff has finalised the team line-up, comprising nine athletes—five women and four men, according to the IIC of Turkmenistan. The women’s squad comprises Ogulshat Amanova and Shabnam Kerimbayeva (up to 53 kg), Medine Amanova (up to 63 kg), Asal Kerimbayeva (up to 77 kg) and Anamjan Rustamova (up to 86 kg). The men’s team will feature Didarbek Jumabayev (up to 79 kg), Islam Akmyradov (up to 94 kg), Suleyman Jafarov (up to 110 kg) and Saparbay Atajanov (over 110 kg). The tournament will serve as an important step in gaining international experience for the young athletes and an opportunity to strengthen Turkmenistan’s position in the IWF rankings. Experts note the balanced composition of the team and anticipate competitive performances, personal bests and a fight for medals.
The Turkmen women's handball team have reached the semi-finals of the Asian Beach Games in China
28.04.2026The Turkmenistan women’s beach handball team has reached the semi-finals of the 6th Asian Beach Games, currently being held in the Chinese city of Sanya, after finishing second in Group B. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. In the group stage, the team began with a victory over Sri Lanka (2–0), then lost to China (0–2) and, in the decisive match, beat Mongolia (2–1), clinching victory in a penalty shoot-out. With two wins from three matches, the Turkmen athletes have progressed to the play-offs. In the semi-final on 28 April, they will face the winners of Group A – the Vietnamese national team. The second semi-final will see China take on Thailand. The team is led by coaches Gulendam Narbayeva and Marina Divanova. The Games in Sanya are taking place from 22 to 30 April and feature 14 sports with 63 sets of medals up for grabs.
A three-stage show jumping cup was held at the Ashgabat equestrian arena
23.04.2026Show jumping competitions dedicated to the National Day of the Turkmen Horse were held in the open arena of the Ashgabat Equestrian Complex. Ten riders from three organisations took part in the competition: the Ahal-Teke Equestrian Complex of the President of Turkmenistan, the Equestrian Sports Federation of Turkmenistan and the National Equestrian Sports Centre. This was reported by IIC. The competition took place in three stages. In the first stage, the riders cleared 12 obstacles 110 cm high; in the second, 15 barriers 120 cm high. In the final, the participants cleared five obstacles 130 cm high at speed. The winner was Mergen Gurbanlyev on his horse Gudratly, who cleared all the obstacles flawlessly. The prize-giving ceremony will take place on 26 April as part of the celebrations marking the National Day of the Turkmen Horse.
Arkadag city has announced the results of the tournament held as part of the ‘Football for Schools’ programme
23.04.2026The closing ceremony of a school football tournament, held as part of the Turkmenistan Football Federation’s ‘Football for Schools’ programme, took place in the city of Arkadag. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. The competition was held under the slogan of school unity and strengthening friendship through sport, and was organised jointly by the departments of education, physical culture and sport of the city of Arkadag, as well as the city council of the Magtymguly Youth Organisation of Turkmenistan. The award ceremony for the winners took place at the Second Secondary School with an in-depth English language programme. The young athletes were presented with trophies and commemorative prizes, and players from FC ‘Arkadag’ took part in the ceremony. The tournament was timed to coincide with April and World Health Day, and the organisers highlighted its social significance in bringing young people together.
The Turkmenistan women's team will take part in the Asian Beach Games in China
21.04.2026The Turkmenistan women’s beach handball team will compete at the 6th Asian Beach Games, which will take place from 22 to 30 April in the Chinese city of Sanya. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. The competition programme includes 14 sports, including beach versions of handball, football and volleyball, as well as jiu-jitsu, rock climbing and sailing. Athletes from 45 countries will take part. The Asian Beach Games have been held every two years since 2008, and Sanya will be the second Chinese city to host the tournament.
Turkmen and Uzbek tennis players took part in the ‘Friendship Tournaments’
21.04.2026A friendly tournament, the ‘Friendship Tournaments’, was held between the youth teams of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, marking a significant event in the sporting calendars of both countries. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The tournament was exceptionally well organised and brought together participants from various age groups. Pupils from the tennis section of the ‘Jahan’ Centre performed strongly, winning the majority of the awards. Among players born in 2015 and younger, Medine Atayeva emerged victorious. In the same category for boys, the entire podium was taken by representatives of the centre: gold went to Miguel Azizov, silver to Aslan Suleymanov, and bronze to Emir Aliyev. In the senior group for girls, Amina Bikbulatova came out on top. The athletes’ success was the result of systematic training under the guidance of coaches Jennet Hallyeva and Azat Charyev, and also confirmed the development of the Turkmen tennis school and the strengthening of sporting ties between the two countries.
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