Hockey players of the junior national team of Turkmenistan will take part in the first championship of Asia and Oceania among players under the age of 18 starting on the 11th of March in Ulaanbaatar.
Held under the auspices of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the tournament brought together six teams. Juniors from Iran, Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will compete for the trophy in a one-round competition.
As the chairman of the Hockey Federation of Turkmenistan, Jora Hudayberdiyev, told a «GA» correspondent, our delegation included 24 people, including 20 hockey players from the clubs «Galkan» of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, «Shir» of the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations and «Oguzhan» of the State Concern «Türkmengaz». The head coach of the junior team is Guvanchmyrat Jepbarov, the coach is Maksat Atayev. The head of the delegation is Begshat Bayramov.
Turkmen juniors will play their first match on the 11th of March against peers from Uzbekistan. On the 12th of March, Guvanchmyrat Jepbarov's wards will play with Thailand, on the 14th of March - with the UAE, on the 15th of March with the hosts of the championship - Mongolia and will end the tournament on 17th of March with a meeting with Iran.
For the hockey players of the junior team of Turkmenistan, the nearest reserve of the main team of the country, the championship starting in the capital of Mongolia is the first international tournament in their life, which will become a good school in gaining experience and improving sportsmanship.
