The Turkmen athletes successfully performed at the Grand Prix II Weightlifting of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), a Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier in Doha, Qatar.

A Turkmen weightlifter Bunyad Rashidov won a gold medal in the snatch and a bronze medal in the combined event. 23-year-old Rashidov showed a result of 298 kg (snatch – 141 kg, clean and jerk – 157 kg) in the under 67 kg weight category.  The Turkmen weightlifter was 2 kg behind the 2022 European champion Ivan Dimov (Bulgaria) and 19 kg behind a silver medallist of the 19th Summer Asian Games in Hangzhou Ri Won-ju (DPRK).

A student from the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture Gaigysyz Toraev won a bronze medal in the under 81 kg weight category with a result of 338 kg in the combined event. Toraev held a barbell weighing 150 kg over his head in the snatch and 188 kg in the clean and jerk.

Shahzadbek Matyakubov from Turkmenistan won a gold medal. A Turkmen weightlifter lifted 371 kg in the combined event – 167 kg in the snatch and 204 kg in the clean and jerk. This result brought the athlete two gold and one silver medals. Based on the results of two disciplines, a silver medal went to David Hovhannisyan from Armenia (370 kg – 170 kg and 200 kg), and a bronze medal to Bong Yang Te from the DPRK (362 kg – 161 kg and 201 kg).

Vice-champion in the under 59 kg weight category of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo Polina Guryeva was one step away from a medal in the under 76 kg weight category of the women’s tournament.

Anamjan Rustamova won a silver medal. She achieved this success in the under 87 kg weight category, in which 8 weightlifters from 7 countries competed for awards. In total, Rustamova lifted 231 kg – 105 kg in the snatch and 126 kg in the clean and jerk.

  13 weightlifters (9 men and 4 women) represented Turkmenistan at the tournament. The tournament in Doha ended on December 14.

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