Shakhzadbek Matyakubov Wins Silver at the Asian Games
Amul Info ·
Turkmen weightlifter Shahzadbek Matyakubov, 22, won the silver medal in the men’s 110 kg category at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya. He lifted 188 kg in the snatch and 222 kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with a total of 410 kg.
The medal tally of Turkmenistan’s national team at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya has been boosted by another silver medal. Shakhzadbek Matyakubov, a 22-year-old Master of Sports of International Class competing in the up-to-110 kg weight category in weightlifting, became the silver medalist at the Asian Games.
Eleven athletes competed for medals in this weight category. The field included winners of the Olympic Games, World Championships and Asian Championships.
In the snatch, Matyakubov successfully completed all three attempts, lifting 180, 184 and 188 kilograms. As a result, he was in third place after the first discipline with a result of 188 kilograms.
In the second discipline — the clean and jerk — the Turkmen athlete failed to lift 217 kilograms in his first attempt. His team then decided to change the declared starting weight and continue with a higher weight.
Matyakubov passed on the 220-kilogram attempt and requested 222 kilograms. After failing to lift that weight in his first attempt, the Turkmen athlete delivered in his final attempt. He successfully lifted 222 kilograms, reaching a total of 410 kilograms across the two disciplines.
This result allowed him to move ahead of his competitors.
Uzbekistan’s Akbar Djuraev lifted 197 kilograms in the snatch and 226 kilograms in the clean and jerk, recording a total of 423 kilograms. He won the gold medal and set a new Asian Games record.
China’s Liu Huanhua won the bronze medal with a total of 405 kilograms.
Thus, the medal positions in the up-to-110 kg weight category were distributed as follows:
🥇 Akbar Djuraev (Uzbekistan) — 423 kg (197+226) 🥈 Shakhzadbek Matyakubov (Turkmenistan) — 410 kg (188+222) 🥉 Liu Huanhua (China) — 405 kg (185+220)
For Shakhzadbek Matyakubov, these Asian Games marked his first podium finish among senior athletes. He also competed in the new up-to-110 kg weight category for the first time.
The athlete began his sporting career in Akdepe District of Dashoguz Region, receiving his initial training under the guidance of his brother, Nabijon Matyakubov. He currently trains under national team head coach Meretguly Sahetmyradow.
In 2023, competing in the up-to-96 kg category, Matyakubov won a gold medal at the Asian Junior Championships, a gold medal at the IWF Grand Prix II in Doha, and a silver medal at the World Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In 2024, in the up-to-102 kg category, he won three gold medals at the World Junior Championships. At that competition, he also set a world junior record in the clean and jerk by lifting 216 kilograms. In the same year, at the Asian Championships in Doha, he won three gold medals and set world junior records in the clean and jerk with 219 kilograms and in the total with 396 kilograms.
Three more athletes represented Turkmenistan in weightlifting.
In the up-to-75 kg category, Bektimur Reyimov finished fifth among eight athletes with a total of 337 kilograms (155+182).
In the up-to-86 kg category, Anamjan Rustamova finished fourth with 258 kilograms (116+142). She was just 1 kilogram behind bronze medalist Mahsa Beheshti of Iran.
In the up-to-53 kg category, Ogulshat Amanova finished ninth among 13 athletes with a total of 191 kilograms (88+103).
The kurash competitions at the Asian Games have also concluded. Turkmenistan was represented by six athletes in this discipline. Nurana Hezretova, Hydyr Muhammedov, Arslan Charyyev, Sabina Kadyrova, Humay Jumadurdyyeva and Ilyas Muhammedov ended their campaigns at different stages.
In the up-to-78 kg category, Nurana Hezretova defeated a Kyrgyz athlete 10:0 in the round of 16, but lost 0:3 to Uzbekistan’s Shohista Nazarova in the quarterfinals.
Hydyr Muhammedov, competing in the up-to-66 kg category, won his opening bout 3:0 before losing 0:5 to Tajikistan’s Yosin Bobokalonov in the quarterfinals.
Arslan Charyyev and world champion Sabina Kadyrova also suffered quarterfinal defeats and finished outside the medal positions.
In the 200-meter race, Lukman Gurbannurdyyev recorded a time of 22.11 seconds, finishing fifth in his heat and 25th overall among 31 athletes.
Enjan Esedova finished eighth in her 200-meter qualifying race with a time of 25.16 seconds and placed 21st overall among 25 athletes.
Three representatives of Turkmenistan competed for medals in Greco-Roman wrestling.
In the up-to-130 kg category, 17-year-old Aslan Agadadaýew defeated a Thai wrestler 9:0 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinal, Aslan lost 0:8 to Uzbekistan’s Rafael Tsitsuashvili. In the bronze-medal bout, he lost 2:7 to a South Korean wrestler and finished fifth.
In the up-to-97 kg category, Amanberdi Agamammedov also finished fifth. In the up-to-60 kg category, Azatjan Achilov ended his campaign after two bouts.
In freestyle wrestling, Alparslan Begenjow defeated China’s Aidusi Hade 5:1 in his opening bout in the up-to-86 kg category. He then lost 0:4 to Mongolia’s Suldhuu Olonbayar in the quarterfinals and was eliminated.
Ziyamuhammet Saparov, competing in the up-to-125 kg category, lost 4:14 to Kazakhstan’s Yedige Kassymbek in the bronze-medal bout.
Shatlyk Hemelaýew’s campaign in the up-to-97 kg category will continue on the final competition day of the Asian Games.