Sport
The Turkmenistan youth football team is preparing for the qualifying stage of the 2026 Asian Cup
27.07.2025From 3 to 9 September, Jordan will host the crucial stage of the 2026 Asian Cup qualifying tournament for national teams under 23 years of age. The Turkmen team is in Group A, where it will face teams from Chinese Taipei, Bhutan and Jordan. This was reported by the IIC. The Turkmen footballers will begin their campaign on 3 September with a match against Chinese Taipei, then play Bhutan on 6 September and conclude the group stage on 9 September with a match against the tournament hosts, Jordan. A total of 44 teams are participating in the qualifiers, divided into 11 groups. The winners of each group, the four best teams among those finishing second, and the Saudi Arabian national team as the host country will advance to the final stage of the tournament, which will be held in January 2026 in Saudi Arabia. For the Turkmenistan youth team, these matches represent an important stage in their development and an opportunity to demonstrate their growing skills on the international stage. A successful performance could open up new prospects for Turkmen football.
Freestyle wrestlers from Turkmenistan won silver and two bronze medals at the Asian Championships
23.07.2025The prestigious Asian Junior Wrestling Championship for athletes under 20 years of age has concluded in the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The Turkmenistan team returned from the competition with three awards of various merits, highlighting the growing authority of the national freestyle wrestling school. This was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. Nineteen-year-old Dovletgeldi Myradov, a student at the Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Construction, performed particularly well. In the weight category up to 86 kg, he consistently defeated strong opponents from South Korea and India, losing only to an experienced Iranian wrestler in the final and winning the silver medal. No less impressive were the performances of Vatan Annaorazov and Alp Arslan Begenjov, who brought bronze medals to the team. Annaorazov, also representing the Architecture and Construction Institute, showed character in difficult matches against wrestlers from Mongolia, Tajikistan and China. Begenjov, despite an unexpected defeat in the semi-finals, managed to pull himself together and confidently won the consolation match, adding another bronze medal to the team's tally. These achievements were part of the overall success of the Turkmen team, which won five medals in the tournament (including the cadet competition). The participation of athletes from 15 countries in the region made the competition particularly representative, and the awards won confirmed the competitiveness of the Turkmen wrestling school.
Turkmen racers won the International Silk Way Rally
23.07.2025Turkmen racers Merdan and Shokhrat Toylyev became the overall winners in the T2 production off-road vehicle class at the 2025 International Silk Way Rally, which finished on 22 July in the capital of the Altai Republic. This was reported by the Orient news agency. The finish ceremony took place in the centre of Gorno-Altaysk on Lenin Square, attracting thousands of spectators. The crew from Turkmenistan confidently completed the entire distance and won gold trophies in the prestigious rally for the second time in their career. The marathon started on 12 July in Irkutsk and covered a distance of 4,811 kilometres. Over 11 days, the participants traversed the harsh landscapes of Russia and Mongolia, from the shores of Lake Baikal to the sands of the Gobi Desert and the Altai Mountains. The success of the Turkmen crew was an important achievement not only for the drivers themselves, but also for the entire motorsport industry in Turkmenistan, confirming the high level of training of its athletes. A total of 101 teams from 15 countries took part in this year's Silk Way Rally. The organisers have already announced that the project will continue in 2026, promising an even more challenging and spectacular route.
The AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifying tournament will be held in Turkmenistan
23.07.2025From 13 to 19 October, Turkmenistan will host the qualifying round of the Asian Cup for girls under 17. The tournament is organised under the auspices of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This was reported by the news agency Orient. The draw for the qualifying round is scheduled for 7 August. Twenty-seven teams will compete for a place in the final tournament, divided into eight groups. The winners of each group will qualify for the Asian Cup (U-17) final, which will be held in China in 2026. The Turkmenistan national team will be in the third pot for the draw. Other teams in this category include Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Guam, Mongolia, the Northern Mariana Islands and Tajikistan. Hosting the qualifying stage in Turkmenistan will be a significant event for the development of women's football in the country and will provide young female footballers with the opportunity to compete at the international level on home soil.
Young wrestlers from Turkmenistan won bronze medals at the Asian Championships
22.07.2025Turkmen athletes won two bronze medals at the Asian Wrestling Championships for athletes under 15 years of age, held in Bishkek. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. Meret Durdyev, a 9th grade student at Ashgabat School No. 9, distinguished himself in freestyle wrestling in the weight category up to 44 kg. He won the quarter-final against his opponent from South Korea, lost in the semi-final to an Indian wrestler, but won the match for third place against a representative of the DPRK. Another bronze medal was won by Jeyhun Hakberdiyev, a student at the ‘Olimp’ Sports School in the capital. In the 52 kg category of Greco-Roman wrestling, he lost in the quarter-finals to a wrestler from Kazakhstan, but then defeated a representative from India in the bronze medal match. Both tournaments attracted nine participants. The champions were wrestlers from India and Kazakhstan.
Toylyev brothers retain T2 class lead at 2025 Silk Way Rally
22.07.2025Merdan and Shohrat Toylyev retained the lead in the T2 class at the 2025 Silk Way Rally. Following the results of the tenth stage, which ended on July 21, they again showed the best time and increased the gap from their rivals. This was reported by the news agency Orient. The stage, which covered more than 515 km, passed through picturesque areas of Mongolia and brought the racers back to Russian territory. After a confident victory in this stage, the Toylyevs strengthened their lead in the overall standings, ahead of their closest rival, Meylis Abdullayev, by almost seven hours. It should be recalled that the change of leader took place on the ninth stage, when the brothers' main rival, Maksatmyrat Danatarov, received a major penalty.
Turkmenabat will become the venue for a meeting of the best chess players in Turkmenistan
21.07.2025The Turkmenistan Chess Federation is organising a stage of the Grand Prix series, which will take place in Turkmenabat from 22 to 27 July. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The country's strongest chess players will take part in the competition. The tournament is part of the national Grand Prix, the results of which will determine the participants in the final stage. You can register using the QR code posted in the official announcement on the website http://www.tkmchess.com.tm.
Turkmen racers lead the way at the Silk Way Rally
21.07.2025At the 2025 Silk Way Rally, taking place on the harsh tracks of Mongolia, there has been a turning point in the battle for leadership in the T2 production off-road vehicle class. Turkmen racer Maksatmyrat Danatarov, who had been leading the standings for a long time, lost the top spot to his compatriot Merdan Toylyev, according to the news agency Orient. The key moment came in the ninth special stage, where Danatarov received a 21-hour penalty for failing to complete the section, while Toylyev successfully completed the route and took the lead. Meylis Abdullayev moved up to second place, and Danatarov's lead grew to 14 hours. Earlier, the T2 crews made a tactical decision to bypass the difficult sands of Mongol-Els, receiving a standard penalty but saving their equipment. However, this did not prevent dramatic changes in the subsequent stages. There are still two days of racing ahead and the finish line in Gorno-Altaysk. The Turkmen crews continue to fight, demonstrating a high level of preparation and strengthening the country's image in international motorsport.
International Chess Day celebrated with a vibrant celebration in Ashgabat
20.07.2025On 17 July, a festive event dedicated to International Chess Day was held at the Russian House in Ashgabat. Organised jointly with the Turkmenistan Chess Federation, the event brought together dozens of young fans of this intellectual game. This was reported by IIC. In his welcoming speech, Vepa Malikgulyev, President of the Turkmenistan Chess Federation, noted the importance of chess for the development of young people. The main event was a simultaneous game with Mergen Kakabayev, Secretary General of the Federation and FIDE Master, where each participant was able to test their skills against a professional. For novice chess players, a 30-minute crash course on the basics of the game was held, while more experienced players learned valuable strategic techniques at a special master class. The event not only strengthened interest in chess, but also created an inspiring atmosphere for the development of young talent.
Turkmenistan has registered its team for the III CIS Games
16.07.2025Turkmenistan has officially confirmed its participation in the III CIS Games in Azerbaijan, registering 170 athletes. This was reported by the news agency Orient. Thus, the number of participating countries has increased to eight, including Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. A total of about 1,840 athletes and 2,666 delegates will attend the Games. Registration for the first stage is open only to CIS countries, with delegations from other countries joining later. As a result, about 5,500 delegations from 23 countries are expected to attend. The III CIS Games will be held from 28 September to 8 October in seven cities of Azerbaijan: Ganja, Yevlakh, Mingachevir, Gabala, Sheki, Goygol and Khankendi. The event aims to strengthen friendship and unity among the youth of the region and is considered one of the most significant sporting events.
The Turkmenistan national team will compete in the World Aquatics Championships
16.07.2025A team of four swimmers from Turkmenistan will compete in the World Aquatics Championships, which will be held in Singapore from 11 July to 3 August, according to the news website Turkmenportal. The team includes David Akopiyan, Musa Zhalayev, Anastasia Morginshtern and Aynur Primova. The athletes will compete in butterfly, freestyle and backstroke events. The swimming competitions will take place from 27 July to 3 August. The World Championships are one of the most important events in world swimming after the Olympic Games. The tournament will be held at a new 50-metre arena built to Olympic standards. More than 2,500 athletes from 210 countries, including the world's leading swimmers, will take part in the competition. The prize fund is $6 million.
Turkmen wrestlers won five medals at the Asian Championships
15.07.2025The Turkmenistan wrestling team won five medals at the Asian Junior (under 20) and Cadet (under 15) Championships held in Bishkek. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. The Turkmen team won one silver and four bronze medals. In the junior freestyle wrestling competition, Dovletgeldi Myradov won silver in the 86 kg weight category. Bronze medals went to Vatan Annaorazov (74 kg) and Alp Arslan Begenjov (79 kg). Among the cadets, bronze medallists were Meret Durdyev, who took third place in the 44 kg freestyle category, and Jeyhun Hakberdiyev, who won an award in the Greco-Roman style (52 kg).
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