Sport
Turkmen grandmaster finished among the top three at the “Karshi Open-2026”
27.05.2026Turkmen grandmaster Saparmurat Atabayev took third place at the international chess tournament “Karshi Open-2026,” which was dedicated to the memory of Ismat Shukurov. The competition was held in Karshi, Uzbekistan, from May 19 to 24 and brought together 56 chess players from 10 countries, according to the news website Turkmenportal. The tournament was held under the Swiss system over 9 rounds with classical time control. At the end of the event, Vitaliy Bernadsky, Saidakbar Saidaliyev, and Saparmurat Atabayev each scored 7 points. Based on tie-break criteria, the Turkmen chess player won the bronze medal. For his performance, S. Atabayev received a cash prize of 30 million Uzbek soums. Saparmurat’s cousin, Yusup Atabayev, also participated in the tournament and finished eighth with 6 points.
Turkmen chess players among prize winners at tournaments in Astana
19.05.2026In Astana, from May 14 to 17, team chess tournaments were held at the Kazakh National University of Sports: the first championship of the Turkic states among men and women (Turkic Teams Chess Championships 2026) and the youth chess Olympiad under 16 (Turkic Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2026). This was reported by IIC. Teams from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan (as the host country fielded two teams in each tournament), Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan participated in a round-robin format. Each team consisted of four main players, one reserve player, and a captain. The time control was 45+30. The total prize fund amounted to 27 million tenge (about 54 thousand USD). In the men’s tournament, 13 grandmasters and 18 international masters participated. The Turkmenistan national team included grandmasters Saparmyrat Atabayev (rating 2471) and Meylis Annaberdiev (rating 2425). According to the results, Kazakhstan teams took first and second places among men. Azerbaijan took third place. Saparmyrat Atabayev placed 3rd on board one. In the women’s tournament, Azerbaijan’s national team won (10 points). Kazakhstan took second place (9 points), and Uzbekistan came third. Turkmenistan’s women’s team finished fifth with 6 points. Lala Shokhradova took 3rd place on board one, and Jahan Rejepova took 2nd place on board three. In the U16 youth tournament, the top three included Azerbaijan’s team and two teams from Kazakhstan. Turkmenistan’s representative Dilber Khupbyeva took 3rd place on board four. The organizers were FIDE, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, the Kazakh National University of Sports, and the Akimat of Astana.
The Turkmenistan national team won the medal standings at the JJIF World Championship
19.05.2026Turkmen athletes won 42 medals at the World Contact Jiu-Jitsu Championship held in Antalya, Türkiye. The tournament was organized under the auspices of the Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) and brought together 245 participants from 16 countries, according to the publication “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. The Turkmenistan team’s tally included 14 gold, 11 silver, and 17 bronze medals, securing first place in the overall team standings. Vietnam took second place with 14 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Kazakhstan finished third with 10 gold, 13 silver, and 16 bronze medals. The JJIF World Championships in jiu-jitsu have been held since 1994 on a biennial basis. The “contact jiu-jitsu” discipline has been included in the competition program since 2017.
Turkmen Weightlifter Wins Silver Medal at Asian Championships in India
19.05.2026Turkmen weightlifter Davranbek Hasanbayev won a silver medal at the Asian Weightlifting Championships taking place in Gandhinagar, India. He competed in the men’s 110 kg weight category, according to the news website Turkmenportal. In the combined total, the athlete recorded 392 kg (188 kg in the snatch and 204 kg in the clean and jerk). Hasanbayev also earned a small bronze medal in the snatch event. The gold medal in this category was claimed by China’s Liu Huanhua, who lifted a total of 420 kg (190 kg in the snatch and 230 kg in the clean and jerk). The bronze medal went to Chinese Taipei’s Dong Bincheng with a total of 381 kg (166 kg in the snatch and 215 kg in the clean and jerk). Earlier in the tournament, another Turkmen athlete, Rustem Annaberdyev, won bronze in the men’s 94 kg category with a total of 354 kg (158 kg in the snatch and 196 kg in the clean and jerk). In addition, Bunyad Rashidov secured a small bronze medal in the snatch in the men’s 71 kg category after lifting 147 kg.
Turkmen weightlifters win two medals at the Asian Championships
18.05.2026Turkmen weightlifter Rustem Annaberdyev won a bronze medal at the Asian Weightlifting Championships taking place in Gandhinagar, India, in the men’s 94 kg weight category. This was reported by Turkmenportal. In the combined total, he lifted 354 kg (158 kg in the snatch and 196 kg in the clean and jerk). The winner in this category was Chinese athlete Yi Tu, who recorded a total of 386 kg (175+211). Second place went to Uzbekistan’s Muhammadqodir Toshtemirov with a total of 373 kg (166+207). Earlier at the championships, Turkmen athlete Bunyad Rashidov won a small bronze medal in the snatch in the 71 kg category, lifting 147 kg.
Turkmen athletes excel at international karate tournament
18.05.2026The national team of Turkmenistan won two medals at the international tournament “Karate 1 – Youth League,” held in Manila (Philippines), according to the news website Turkmenportal. The winner of the competition was Rayan Gurbanmyradov, who earned a gold medal in the junior kumite category (16–17 years old) in the under-55 kg weight class. Another medal for the team was brought by Alymuhammet Kakaliyev, who won a bronze medal in cadet kumite (14–15 years old) in the under-57 kg category. A total of 790 athletes from 58 countries took part in the tournament.
Turkmenistan is represented at the first Chess Olympiad of Turkic countries
17.05.2026The national team of Turkmenistan is taking part in the first Chess Olympiad of Turkic countries, which is being held on May 13–18 in Astana. The team includes 14 of the country’s leading chess players, according to the IIC. Teams from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan are participating in the tournament; Kazakhstan has also fielded a second team. In total, seven teams are competing in the open, women’s, and youth (under 16) categories. After two rounds, the women’s team of Turkmenistan is leading in its group. The leadership of the country’s Chess Federation notes the active development of the youth and junior direction: the number of Turkmen players with a FIDE rating has increased from fewer than 100 in 2022 to around 500 today. Plans include creating stronger internal competition within the national team and expanding the roster. As part of the Olympiad, representatives of Turkmenistan are also participating in discussions on the strategic development of the Turkic Chess Association, established in 2025 to expand international cooperation and tournament practice among participating countries.
Turkmen weightlifters will compete at the Asian Championships in India
12.05.2026The Turkmenistan national team will compete at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar (India). The tournament features 172 athletes from 28 countries, according to the news outlet Turkmenportal. Turkmenistan will be represented by six athletes. The first to take to the platform on May 14 will be Bunyad Rashidov (up to 71 kg) and Bektimur Reimov (up to 79 kg). On May 15, Ramazan Toryaev and Gaygygyz Toryaev will compete in the up to 88 kg category. On May 16, Rustem Annaberdiyev is entered in the up to 94 kg weight class. On the final day, May 17, Davranbek Hasanbayev will compete in the up to 110 kg category. The Asian Championships are being held in India for the second time. Previously, the tournament was hosted by Delhi in 1982 as part of the 9th Asian Games.
The delegation of Turkmenistan took part in the FIFA Congress in Vancouver
10.05.2026The delegation of the Football Federation of Turkmenistan took part in the 76th FIFA Congress, which was held in Vancouver, Canada. As part of the event, discussions focused on the development of national football, including infrastructure modernization and personnel training, according to the IIC. On the sidelines of the Congress, representatives of Turkmenistan held a series of meetings with FIFA leadership and heads of foreign football associations. The main attention was given to the development of youth and grassroots football and the exchange of experience in sports analytics. Updated FIFA methodologies for coaching education were also reviewed, with plans to implement them in domestic clubs and national teams. Separate discussions addressed the promotion of women’s football, strategic planning, and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The participation of the Turkmen delegation in the Congress reflects the country’s engagement with the international football community and its efforts to develop domestic 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.
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