From Japan to Central Asia: Tashkent set to host major 2024 Sumo Open
Sumo is rapidly gaining popularity in Uzbekistan, and in a short time, local athletes have already achieved significant results in this sport. The upcoming international tournament will be another step in sumo’s development in Uzbekistan, UzA reports.
Sumo is a national treasure of Japan, an ancient martial art in which two wrestlers face off in a special circular ring. The sport is highly spectacular, follows strict rules, is widely popular with fans, and has a relatively low injury rate.
The Uzbekistan Sumo Federation was officially established on October 12, 2023, to popularize sumo in Uzbekistan and train athletes who can proudly represent the country on the international stage. In a short period, Uzbek sumo wrestlers competed in prestigious international competitions in Poland, Russia, Japan, the United States, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, and other countries, winning 30 medals in total.
On October 8, 2026, the Tashkent Sumo Open 2026 will be held at the sports complex of the Uzbek State University of Physical Culture and Sports. Athletes from the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic will attend the tournament.
Such competitions will be an important incentive for the continued development and popularization of sumo in Uzbekistan, while also helping identify and train promising young athletes.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakh professional sumo wrestler Ersin Baltagul had talked about his vision of developing sumo in Kazakhstan.
