A historic event in the annals of Turkmen sports took place at the 47th World Sambo Championship that ended in Bishkek. After 27 years, the representative of Turkmenistan again won the title of world champion among men in the sport of this wrestling. This remarkable success, as already reported, was achieved in the weight category up to 64 kg by a serviceman of military unit № 1001 named after Malikguly Berdimuhamedov of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, master of sports from Ashgabat Muhammet Kossekov.
This 24-year-old talented athlete became the fourth world champion among men in the history of Turkmen sports sambo. The first such achievement in 1992 at the World Championships in Minsk was achieved by Joldybek Konirov (up to 74 kg). A year later, Bayrammyrat Mavyjayev (up to 57 kg) repeated his success at the World Championships in Omsk. Vepa Abdullayev (up to 62 kg) was the third among Turkmen sambists to the highest step of the podium at the World Championship among men in 1995 in Sofia (Bulgaria). And now, after more than a quarter of a century, Muhammet Kossekov won the title of world champion.
The World Championship, which finished in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, was also notable for the fact that Turkmen sambists won 6 medals at it. In addition to M. Kossekov’s gold, Begench Baltayev brought the silver medal to the Turkmen team, and Kakageldi Yegenbayev (up to 71 kg), Guvanch Begaliyev (up to 98 kg), Batyr Hojamuhamedov (over 98 kg) in sports sambo and Babajan Ivadullayev (over 98 kg ) in combat sambo.
A year ago, the national team of Turkmenistan at the World Sambo Championships in Tashkent had only three bronze medals. They were won by: in sports sambo - Nedir Allaberdiyev (weight category up to 79 kg) and in combat sambo - Abdylla Babayev (up to 71 kg) and Rusdem Penjiyev (up to 79 kg).
In the team standings at the World Championships in Bishkek, the Russian team took the first place, which has 19 medals (13 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze). In second place is the team of Kyrgyzstan (2-1-3), in third place is the team of Belarus (1-3-4). Athletes from Russia, Belarus and France competed under the flag of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) in accordance with the decision of the Executive Committee of the organization.
World Sambo Championships have been held annually since 1973. Since 1983, the World Sambo Championships among women have been held. Since 2018, the championship program has included combat sambo competitions among men.
Remind that in 2020, the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) received full recognition from the IOC.
