In the capital of Azerbaijan, the Baku Olympic Stadium hosted the closing ceremony of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games. Complex competitions in 20 events brought together more than 3,000 athletes from 57 states. At these games, the Turkmen athletes won 13 medals (two gold, four silver, seven bronze), that secured them the 15th place in the team standings.

The collection of Turkmenistan team was supplemented with another bronze medal at the IV Islamic Solidarity Games in the capital of Azerbaijan. It was won by Ahhageldy Agamyradov in wushu competitions in the weight category up to 56 kg.

Having successfully group stage, women basketball team met the team from Syria in quarterfinal. The main time ended in a draw. After one minute in additional time, Turkmenistan team to take advantage with 16:14 score. Ayna Gokova, the most efficient player of the team with 10 points, was an author of the winning ball.

First African Gyoresh Championship was held in Capetown, South African Republic on May 18 – 22 as well as African Continent Gyoresh Federation was founded. Wrestlers from more than 10 countries took part in the championship. The competitions were held in six weight categories – three men and three women. Representatives of Turkmenistan National belt Wrestling Federation were the referees of the tournament.

Our compatriot, competing in the weight category up to 97 kg, met the representative of Syria Abdulah Karem, who yielded strong attack of Turkmen wrestler. The fight was completed ahead of time with 11:0 score.

Group matches of the basketball tournament (3X3 format) were held at IV Islamic Solidarity Games. Our men team, competing in group A had two convincing victories over the teams from Turkey (21:13) and Pakistan (19:12). It brought Turkmen sportsmen to the final round of the competitions, where 8 teams are presented which would find out the winners in round system competitions.

At the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games ongoing in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, fighters of the Greco-Roman style entered the struggle for the championship, including the Turkmen sportsmen, who on the first day won one bronze medal. And meanwhile, our athletes reached the final in boxing competitions.

In his letter to President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, President of the Asian Kickboxing Confederation Nasser Nassiri has congratulated Turkmen athletes on their success at the Asian Kickboxing Championship (that took place at the Ashgabat Olympic Complex), and on our national team’s victory in the team event.

Boxer Arslanbek Achilov in the weight category up to 81 kg fought with representative of the team of Cote d’Ivoire A. Kone in Baku. The bout was the shortest fight in the present Games. I had lasted only two minutes, during which the opponent was knocked down twice. The fight was stopped because of the obvious advantage of our athlete.

In the IV Islamic Solidarity Games in the Azerbaijani capital, Merdan Atayev won the silver medal in the 50 meter backstroke event, which he finished in 25.82 seconds. It became a new national record, which exceeds the previous one, set by him during the Asian Championship in Tokyo (Japan) in 2016, by 0.06 seconds.