Rio 2016 Olympian Arslanbek Achilov won his key final in the Turkmenistan National Championships

The Turkmenistan National Championships for the elite men boxers was held in their capital city in Ashgabat. Their top boxers such as Zarip Jumayev, Yakub Meredov, Hursand Imankuliyev, Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Aziz Bebitov, London 2012 Olympian Nursahat Pazzyyev and Rio 2016 Olympian Arslanbek Achilov all won their weight classes in the National Championships.
The former head coach of the Russian national boxing team Mr. Aleksandr Lebziak has been working in Turkmenistan since March therefore the country will have great chance to raise the level of the athletes. Turkmenistan Boxing Federation was able to keep all of their national team member boxers therefore the squad is stronger than ever with more experiences. Turkmenistan competed well in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent and also in the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku this year.
Dayanch Annaseidov won the last two editions of the Turkmenistan National Boxing Championships at the light flyweight (49kg) and the 24-year-old boxer was too strong for Mekan Iliev in the semi-final and following that bout he dominated his final against newcomer Nuretdin Makhtumov.
Zarip Jumayev is the only boxer from Turkmenistan who could beat a Cuban rival in the recent one decade and he was able to dominate the flyweight (52kg) in their national events since 2010. Jumayev, who competed all AIBA and ASBC events excluding the Olympic Games in the recent years, controlled all of the rounds against Shokhrat Yesenov in the final.
Islamic Solidarity Games silver medallist Yakub Meredov is member of the national team since 2009 and since then he also competed in several events as Zarip Jumayev. He returned in top performance this year and triumphed over Shokhrat Jumayev in the final of the bantamweight (56kg) while Youth National Champion Begench Alymov took the bronze medal in his first elite event.
Hursand Imankuliyev proved great performance in the 2014 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and also in the recent elite international events. The 21-year-old lightweight (60kg) boxer eliminated Begmurat Halmuradov in a narrow semi-final and he defeated former Youth National Champion Timur Halilov in the final of the national event.
Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Aziz Bebitov returned to the squad in top shape and his experiences delivered for him a national title in Ashgabat. He eliminated ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Mukhamed Berdibayev, former National Champion Sunnet Annaseidov and 19-year-old talent Togrulbek Pazzyyev in the road to the gold at the light welterweight (64kg).
ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Muhammetmyrat Sahedov came from a boxing family who will be turning to 20 only later this year. Following his title at the National Cup he defeated ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Timur Tajimov and 19-year-old Serdar Amangeldiyev in the final phase of the welterweight (69kg).
Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist and London 2012 Olympian Nursahat Pazzyyev returned to the world of boxing after four years of break and after his international comebacks he was able to win the title at the middleweight (75kg). The 25-year-old boxer eliminated veteran Rasul Yuldashev in the semi-final and he was too strong also for national team member Azizbek Achilov in the superb title contest.
Islamic Solidarity Games winner and Rio 2016 Olympian Arslanbek Achilov is Turkmenistan’s best boxer currently who had a super talented rival in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg), ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist 19-year-old Nuryagdy Nuryagdyyev. Achilov had to do his very best to beat his younger rival which final was the best in the national event.
Shatlyk Sharyyev reached great results in the national events in the recent six years and he was able to defend his heavyweight (91kg) throne after beating Serdar Atakhanov in the final. Turkmenistan’s new head coach is looking for the best possibility at the super heavyweight (+91kg) where Shokhrat Pirimanov delivered a surprise when he beat defending National Champion 19-year-old Baky Toychiyev.

List of the winners in the Turkmenistan National Championships
49kg: Dayanch Annaseidov
52kg: Zarip Jumayev
56kg: Yakub Meredov
60kg: Hursand Imankuliyev
64kg: Aziz Bebitov
69kg: Muhammetmyrat Sahedov
75kg: Nursahat Pazzyyev
81kg: Arslanbek Achilov
91kg: Shatlyk Sharyyev
+91kg: Shokhrat Pirimanov