Turkmen judoka Maysa Pardayeva won the prestigious international Grand Prix tournament held in Qingdao, China. Our compatriot took the top step of the podium in the 57 kg weight class.

On her way to victory, Pardayeva demonstrated brilliant technique and tactical mastery, defeating all her opponents. One of the tensest moments of the tournament was the semifinal match, where Maysa ended the winning streak of renowned Japanese athlete Momo Tamaoki and secured her place in the final.

In the decisive bout for the gold medal, the Turkmen judoka faced France's Martha Fawaz. The bout was decided in overtime (golden score), where Maysa snatched a clear victory, earning the highest score – ippon.

"Winning a tournament of this level has always been my cherished dream. I am immensely proud of my first gold medal at a Grand Prix tournament. This success has given me even more strength and enthusiasm to continue fighting for a ticket to the Olympic Games. My main goal is to win a medal at the XXXIV Summer Olympics," Maysa shared her emotions after her victory.

The recent competition in Qingdao was of colossal significance, as it marked a key stage in the qualifying process for the 2028 Olympic Games, which will be held in Los Angeles, USA.

Maysa Pardayeva's confident performance in China continues a long series of remarkable international successes. She previously won a bronze medal at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2026 in Mongolia. It's worth noting that the experienced athlete competed for the Turkmenistan national team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She also reached the podium at the 2022-2023 Asian Youth Cup and the 2024 European Open and won a bronze medal at the Grand Slam tournament in Antalya, Turkey, that same year. Maysa earned her only silver medal in international competition at the 2023 junior European Cup.

The Turkmen sporty newspaper