Tajikistan Surpasses Jordan and Bahrain with Strong Medal Haul at Asian Youth Games

Tajikistan is making headlines at the third Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, winning 12 medals so far - 2 gold, 1 silver, and 9 bronze - and rising to 14th place in the overall standings, surpassing Jordan and Bahrain.

The spotlight on October 25 was on Fazliddin Khalilov and Umarjon Umed, who both claimed gold in amateur MMA, a sport debuting at the Games, The Caspian Post reports via Tajik media.

Khalilov dominated the 55 kg category, while Umed triumphed in 70 kg, marking a historic first for Tajikistan in the new discipline.

The MMA squad also brought home seven bronze medals, including performances by Mehrona Qalandarbekova, Marhabo Boboyeva, Umar Sharifov, Muhammad Saidzoda, Osim Begmurodzoda, Abubakr Bahromov, and Muso Ibrohimzoda.

Beyond MMA, taekwondo athlete Abdujafar Bahodur added bronze (55 kg), while Jonibek Nematov earned silver in the +73 kg category, narrowly losing to South Korea’s Simok Yiom. Tajikistan’s first medal at the Games came from Abubakr Turayev, who won bronze in kurash (65 kg).

With 4,000 athletes from 45 countries competing across 26 sports - from boxing and judo to Muay Thai, esports, and MMA - Tajikistan’s 65-athlete delegation is making a strong mark ahead of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.

China leads the medal table with 69 medals, followed by Uzbekistan, Thailand, Iran, and Kazakhstan, while Tajikistan continues its rise with historic achievements in MMA and other sports.

The 2025 Asian Youth Games, held October 22-31 in Bahrain, mark the first edition since 2013, after cancellations in 2017 and 2021.