The International
Kurash Tournament was held in Paris. Traditional Uzbek wrestling is considered
one of the oldest martial arts among Turkic peoples. The event brought together
top wrestlers from around the world, with over 100 athletes from 25 countries
competing across four weight categories. The tournament’s prize fund, the Prize
of the President of Uzbekistan, totaled 30,000 euros.
Each year, the
tournament expands its geographic reach and attracts more participants. Uzbek
traditional wrestling is gaining increasing recognition worldwide as a sport.
«I was very pleased to
discover traditional Uzbek wrestling. The International Kurash Tournament for
the Prize of the President of Uzbekistan deepened my acquaintance with your
country, which began in Deauville. This prestigious tournament is not only a
sporting event but also a platform for establishing valuable relationships that
we aim to develop in the cultural, tourism, and now also sports spheres. Such
exchanges foster discoveries and open up new areas of cooperation,» said Philippe
Augier, mayor of Deauville, France.
«Uzbekistan is now,
for me, also a country of high-performance sports - especially in light of your
team’s impressive results at the Paris Olympics. The large-scale development of
Kurash, your national wrestling discipline, and the prestigious tournament in
Paris featuring athletes not only from Asia but also from Europe and Africa - all
of this contributes to strengthening Uzbekistan’s international image,» noted Olivier
Grizard, Director of the International Trade and Banking Operations, UBAF.
Mukhlisakhon
Kadirberganova won bronze in the women’s under 70 kg category, while Alikhon
Nodirov and Sherali Juraev claimed victory and the Prize
of the President of Uzbekistan in the men’s under 90 kg and absolute weight
categories, respectively. They were solemnly welcomed in their homeland.
«In the final, I faced
a wrestler from France. This victory was made possible thanks to the growing
support for the development of Kurash. While there used to be significantly
fewer participants, the number of athletes now exceeds one hundred - a clear
sign of the growing prestige of national sports on the global stage,» shared tournament
winner Sherali Juraev.
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