The Turkmenistan Figure Skating Championship was held at the Winter Sports Complex in Ashgabat. The competition, dedicated to World Health Day, became a true celebration of grace and artistry. Participants impressed the audience with complex elements, demonstrating a combination of aesthetics, physical strength, and confident execution.
A total of 19 participants competed on the ice in three categories.
In the Basic category, the top three winners were:
Maria Vyzhlyakova
Veronika Ovezova
Melisa Yuje
In the Basic Novice category:
Aylar Ekyaeva
Mahrijemal Rozyyeva
Alyona Goryunova
In the Intermediate and Advanced Novice categories, the prize winners were:
In the women’s category: Leyla Gaylyeva
In the men’s category: Rakhman Hojamkuliyev
Coaches and participants expressed deep gratitude to the Government of the country for creating a unique sports infrastructure. Thanks to modern ice arenas that meet international standards, winter sports in Turkmenistan have received a powerful boost for development.
Interest among the younger generation in sports—and figure skating in particular—continues to grow. Our young athletes have already had opportunities to compete abroad against their peers on international platforms. Coaches are also improving their qualifications. Today, students of the Sports School of the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Physical Culture and Sports are trained by experienced mentors, including a professional choreographer.
It is worth noting that the coaching staff consists of relatively young and active individuals. For example, many of the prize winners of this year’s competition are students of Ilina Karimova. A determined athlete, she graduated from the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture with a degree as a figure skating coach. She herself competed and won medals, and since 2019 has been working as the national coach of the youth team.
“Our work is challenging but interesting. I myself trained here since 2007 under Aykhanum Gulamaliyeva,” says Ilina. “One of my main achievements was winning gold at the international tournament ‘Golden Cup of Dubai’ in 2012 among juniors. At that time, our country’s team won five medals.”
The Turkmenistan Championship has concluded, but the figure skaters continue to train, dedicating themselves fully to the sport. Today, their main dream is to qualify and proudly represent their country at the International Sports Games “Children of Asia” in 2027 in Krasnoyarsk.
