Tajik judokas Muhiddin Asadulloyev and Abubakr Sherov have won bronze medals at the 20th Asian Games in Japan, taking Tajikistan’s overall medal tally to 12.
Asadulloyev claimed bronze in the men’s 73kg category, while Sherov finished third in the 81kg division. The International Judo Federation confirmed both results.
Asadulloyev, 20, began his campaign in the round of 16, defeating Sri Lanka’s Chamara Nuwan Dharmawarthana Repiyallage by yuko. He then beat the Philippines’ Gabriel Benedict Cuitain by ippon in the quarter-final.
In the semi-final, Asadulloyev lost to UAE representative Kazbek Naguchev in Golden Score. He recovered in the bronze-medal bout, defeating Mongolia’s Enkhdulam Lkhama by ippon after a counter-throw and hold-down.
Sherov, 23, opened his 81kg campaign with an ippon victory over Palestine’s Muayad Tuaib and then defeated Uzbekistan’s Arslonbek Tojiyev by ippon.
He beat Iran’s Elias Parhizgar in Golden Score in the quarter-final before losing to Kazakhstan’s Adilet Almat in the semi-final. Sherov secured bronze by defeating Bahrain’s Askerbiy Gerbekov by waza-ari.
Tajikistan’s medal tally
With the two new bronze medals, Tajikistan has won 12 medals — two gold, three silver and seven bronze.
The gold medals were won by Mirzobek Umarov and Otabek Rajabov in MMA. Silver medals went to Behrouz Khurshedoda in MMA and Shakarmamad Mirmamadov and Yosin Bobokalonov in kurash.
The bronze medallists are Makhsatullo Mu’minov in karate; Sarvar Abdushukurov in kurash; Akmal Ubaidov and Parviz Karimov in boxing; and Ahliya Muminova, Asadulloyev and Sherov in judo.
Judo has now contributed three of Tajikistan’s 12 medals, alongside three each from MMA and kurash.
Tajikistan 20th in medal standings
Tajikistan is currently 20th in the overall Asian Games standings with two gold, three silver and seven bronze medals.
China leads the standings, followed by Japan and South Korea. Uzbekistan is the highest-ranked Central Asian country in fourth place, with 16 gold, 21 silver and 19 bronze medals.
Kazakhstan is ninth with nine gold, 19 silver and 36 bronze medals. Kyrgyzstan is 25th with one gold, two silver and seven bronze, while Turkmenistan is 30th with two silver medals.
Tajikistan remains third among the five Central Asian countries despite Kyrgyzstan winning its first gold medal of the Games.
The five Central Asian teams have collectively won 144 medals — 28 gold, 47 silver and 69 bronze.
