The Tajikistan freestyle wrestling team won two medals at the Asian Championship in Bishkek — in addition to Abdulmajid Kudiyev’s bronze, another award was added: third place in the 74 kg weight category was claimed by Mustafa Akhmedov.
In the decisive match for the bronze medal, Akhmedov secured a victory over Uzbekistan’s representative Begijon Kuldashev — 7:6. The encounter was dramatic and evenly matched, but in key moments the Tajik wrestler was more precise and composed, which earned him the award.
Akhmedov’s path to the medal was not easy. He began the tournament with a confident victory over Nepalese athlete Suresh Chunara (10:0), but in the quarterfinals, he lost to Bahrain’s representative Magomedrasul Asluev (1:3). Nevertheless, thanks to his opponent reaching the final, Akhmedov got the chance to continue competing through the repechage matches — and he used it most effectively.
The first bronze for Tajikistan at this tournament was won by Abdulmajid Kudiyev in the 65 kg category. In the match for third place, he defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Rustamjan Kaharov (10:7). Kudiyev started the tournament from the quarterfinals, defeating Japan’s Takara Suda with a score of 9:0. In the semifinals, the Tajik wrestler faced Indian athlete Sujit and lost with a score of 2:7.
Somon Ikromov (79 kg) was also close to a medal, reaching the match for third place but losing to Kyrgyzstan’s representative Jakshylyk Baitashov (0:6). Athletes Aiaal Belolyubsky (57 kg), Viktor Rassadin (70 kg), Bahodur Kodirov (86 kg), Ismoil Kartoev (92 kg), and Rahmon Mahmadbekov (97 kg) were stopped in the early stages of the tournament.
Thus, as a result of the freestyle wrestling competition, the Tajikistan team won two bronze medals, which can be considered a commendable result amid stiff competition from leading Asian schools — Iran, Japan, India, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The Asian Championship in Bishkek gathered about 350 wrestlers, who contested 30 sets of awards in three styles.
As for the representatives of Tajikistan’s Greco-Roman wrestling, none managed to reach the podium. In the 67 kg weight category, Sunatullo Abdulloyev lost in the opening match to Iran’s Ahmadreza Saifollah Mohsennajod with a score of 0:10. In the 72 kg category, Loik Amirkhonzoda lost to Japan’s Taishi Narikuni with a score of 2:11 in the qualifying stage.
In the 77 kg weight class, Alisher Ruzimadov had a competitive match against China’s Kalisan Bahean, but lost with a score of 6:9.
The most challenging path was for Muhammad Sultonzoda in the 87 kg category. He lost to Iran’s Gholamreza Javad Farahisanjani with a score of 0:9. His opponent reached the final, allowing the Tajik wrestler to continue competing in the consolation round, but there Sultonzoda was also defeated — by Uzbekistan’s athlete Mukhammadkodir Rasulov (0:9).
In the overall standings of the Asian Championship, Tajikistan placed 13th with 2 medals:
1. Iran — 18 medals (6 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze),
2. Japan — 15 (6+5+4),
3. China — 14 (5+1+8),
4. Kyrgyzstan — 12 (5+1+6),
5. India — 17 (2+6+9),
6. Uzbekistan — 11 (2+2+7),
7. Mongolia — 8 (1+3+4),
8. North Korea — 4 (1+3+0),
9. Kazakhstan — 7 (1+0+6),
10. Qatar — 1 (1+0+0),
11. Bahrain — 6 (0+3+3),
12. South Korea — 4 (0+0+4),
13. Tajikistan — 2 (0+0+2),
14. Turkmenistan — 1 (0+0+1).
