The Uzbekistan national team topped the medal table at the 3rd Central Asian Open Athletics Championships.

The Uzbekistan team took the lead in the medal standings at the 3rd Open Central Asian Athletics Championships, held in Tashkent from August 23 to 25. A total of 294 athletes from nine countries participated in the competition. Uzbek athletes won 61 medals, 22 of which were gold.

The competition was held at the new athletics stadium in the Olympic Village and at the stadium of the Uzbekistan Athletics Federation. The program included both running and technical disciplines: sprints, middle and long distances, hurdles, relays, jumps, and throws.

At the end of the championship, Uzbekistan earned 22 gold, 20 silver, and 19 bronze medals. Kazakhstan placed second overall with 24 medals: 10 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze. Third place went to the Turkmenistan team, which won seven medals: two gold, three silver, and two bronze. Remarkably, representatives from all nine participating countries reached the podium.

The event was organized by the Central Asian Running and Walking Academy and the Central Asian Athletics Association, with the support of the Ministry of Sport of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan. Judges and specialists from various regions of the country, as well as international and regional technical delegates, participated in the competition. Over 100 student volunteers also joined the organizing team.

According to Timur Asanov, chief judge of the competition, the championship marked the beginning of the international athletics season, during which athletes began accumulating ranking points for qualification for the 2027 World Championships. The tournament also served as an important stage in the athletes' preparation for the 2026 Summer Asian Games, which will be held in Japan.

One of the most intense competitions was the women's sprint. Laylo Allaberganova of Uzbekistan won two silver medals, losing to Kazakhstan's record-holder and two-time Olympic participant Victoria An in the 100m and 200m. The finish was particularly close in the 100m, where the two competitors were separated by just 0.07 seconds: Allaberganova's 11.92 to An's 11.85. Turkmenistan's record-holder and Beijing Olympic participant Valentina Meredova won bronze in this distance with a time of 12.09. Georgia's Ani Mamatsashvili finished third in the 200m with a time of 24.78.

In the men's sprint, Sultan Gafurjonov earned two gold medals for Uzbekistan, winning the 100m and 200m. Representatives from the country also showed strong results in the middle and long distances, hurdles, and steeplechase. The Uzbekistan team won the men's and mixed 4x400-meter relays.

Uzbek athletes also performed well in the technical events. In the women's high jump, Valeriya Gorbatova won with a jump of 1.88 meters. In the men's long jump, Sarvar Meyliev and Abdurakhman Makhmudjonov won gold and silver, respectively, with jumps of 7.72 and 7.38 meters.

The Uzbekistan team performed particularly convincingly in the women's shot put and discus throw, taking all three podium places. The men's javelin throw also ended with a victory for an Uzbek athlete.

A high level of international competition was also demonstrated in the jumping events. In the men's high jump, Tavan Kaeodam of Thailand won with a jump of 2.17 meters. In the women's long jump, Kazakhstan's Alina Chistyakova and Anastasia Rypakova won gold and silver, while Rosario Tia Lewis of Singapore took bronze. Maria Efremova of Kazakhstan took first place in the women's triple jump.

"This is the third championship in the Association's history, and today we see its level, geography, and competitiveness growing. This year's tournament is especially significant: for many Central Asian athletes, it is one of the key international competitions before the Asian Games and an opportunity to confirm their place on their national teams. It is especially important that, alongside experienced athletes, a new generation of athletes is achieving strong results. Such competitions allow us to assess their potential in the face of serious international competition and create the foundation for the further development of athletics in the region," noted Alexey Kondrat, Secretary General of the Central Asian Athletics Association.

Tashkent is not the first time hosting an open regional championship. In 2024, the Uzbekistan national team won 69 medals: 18 gold, 28 silver, and 23 bronze. In 2026, the competition once again brought together the region's leading track and field athletes in the capital, expanding the tournament's international reach.

The 3rd Central Asian Open Championships confirmed the high level of competition in the region and became an important international launch pad for athletes ahead of the season's major competitions. Hosting the tournament at the Olympic Village also allowed Tashkent to utilize its new sports infrastructure for international competitions.