Vice-Chairman of the Tajikistan Judo Federation, Mr. Ergash Mahmadbekov, summed up the results of the major tournament held in Dushanbe.
“The Grand Slam in Dushanbe, one of the key stages of the world judo tour, once again confirmed our country’s high sporting and organizational status in the global judo system. Our team performed confidently, maturely, and effectively on the home tatami. As a result of the tournament, the national team took second place in the overall team medal standings, winning 3 gold and 1 bronze medal.
The main sporting task for our team was not just to show results, but to create as many moments of national pride for the country as possible. This task was brilliantly accomplished by Nourali Emomali, Muhiddin Asadulloyev, and Somon Mahmadbekov, who won gold medals and gave fans bright victories, strong emotions, and confidence in the further progress of Tajik judo,” Mahmadbekov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
The specialist also noted the bronze medal of the young promising judoka Loiq Qutbuddinov in the 60 kg weight category.
“His result has strategic significance: it shows that behind the team leaders, a new competitive generation of athletes is forming, capable of competing for medals at the world level.
The results of the Grand Slam in Dushanbe confirmed the systematic progress of Tajik judo. Today, our athletes are not just participating in the largest international tournaments, but they are stepping onto the tatami with real ambitions to compete for final blocks, medals, and championship titles. This speaks of the growth in tactical-technical maturity, psychological resilience, and competitive readiness of the team,” he said.
Mahmadbekov also highlighted the special role that the support of the head of the Judo Federation of Tajikistan, Ismoil Mahmadzoir, plays in this development.
“Thanks to a systematic approach, strategic vision, and consistent work of the federation, an environment has been created where athletes, coaches, and specialists have the opportunity to develop, compete, and reach a new international level,” the expert noted.
According to him, today the Tajik national team competes with the strongest teams in the world and increasingly confirms its competitiveness not through isolated episodes, but with stable results.
The home Grand Slam showed that our team not only has leaders capable of winning gold but also an increasing depth of the lineup, which is especially important in the context of the upcoming Olympic cycle and qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
A particularly joyful event for us is that in December 2026, Dushanbe will host the World Judo Masters, one of the most prestigious events in the world judo system. The International Judo Federation emphasizes that hosting the Masters in Dushanbe reflects the significant growth of judo in Tajikistan and strengthens the country’s role in the global development of this sport,” Mahmadbekov concluded.
