Turkmenistan at Asian Games 2026: Building on a Steady Medal Climb
Turkmenistan’s medal count has doubled since 2018, driven by a state-backed weightlifting program and a deep combat-sports bench.
Turkmenistan’s Asian Games Track Record
Turkmenistan’s medal haul more than doubled between 2018 and 2023. Confirmed 2023 bronze medalists include boxer Bayramdurdy Nurmukhammedov (up to 71kg), karateka Bayry Bayryev (kumite, under 67kg), and freestyle wrestler Dovletmyrat Orazgyldzhov (up to 86kg). The sports behind the remaining silver and three bronze medals could not be independently verified. The lone 2018 medalist confirmed by name is Greco-Roman wrestler Şyhazberdi Öwelekow, who won bronze at 87kg.
| Edition | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Jakarta-Palembang | 32nd | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2022/23 Hangzhou | 29th | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
Source: Turkmenistan at the 2018 Asian Games and Turkmenistan at the 2022 Asian Games, Wikipedia.
Turkmenistan’s Strongest Sports
Weightlifting is officially recognized by the International Weightlifting Federation as Turkmenistan’s national sport, backed by heavy state investment. Combat sports broadly — freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, boxing, and karate — form the rest of the country’s consistent medal base, alongside traditional Turkmen belt wrestling (goresh), in which the country has historically dominated regional competition.
Turkmenistan’s Official Squads by Sport
As is typical for Turkmenistan, no federation or NOC source has named an official 2026 Asian Games roster yet — rosters are usually finalized close to the Games. Here’s what’s known from adjacent qualifying competitions.
Confirmed via official federation/media sources
| Sport | Key Named Athletes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| No individually named 2026 Turkmenistan athletes have been officially confirmed for the Asian Games yet. | ||
Reported but not yet formally finalized
| Sport | Notes |
|---|---|
| Weightlifting | National team competed at the May 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar, India — Buniad Rashidov (71kg), Bektimur Reymov (79kg), Ramazan Toryaev and Gaygysyz Toryaev (88kg), Rustem Annaberdiyev (94kg), Davranbek Hasanbaev (110kg) — though this reporting does not explicitly link the roster to Asian Games qualification |
Team confirmed, no roster yet / not found
| Sports |
|---|
| Boxing (2023 bronze medalist Bayramdurdy Nurmukhammedov a plausible returning contender), Karate (2023 bronze medalist Bayry Bayryev a plausible returning contender), Wrestling (Freestyle & Greco-Roman), Judo, Athletics |
Storylines to Watch
A steady, state-driven climb: medals roughly doubled from 2018 (3) to 2023 (7), a trend the state’s heavy promotion of sport as a national-prestige project (coordinated through the Cabinet’s sports committee) is clearly aimed at continuing.
Young medalists returning: boxer Bayramdurdy Nurmukhammedov and karateka Bayry Bayryev, both in their early 20s at Hangzhou, are plausible returning contenders for 2026, though neither has been officially confirmed for the squad yet.
Combat sports and weightlifting remain the priorities heading into Aichi-Nagoya.