Tajik para-judoka Shohrukh Nazarov will receive a cash prize of 150,000 somoni after winning the country’s first-ever medal at the Summer Asian Para Games. The award was announced by Ismoil Mahmadzoir, head of the Tajikistan Judo Federation.
The 33-year-old athlete won silver in the men’s J1 para-judo competition in the 81 kg category at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan.
Nazarov reached the final after winning three bouts on October 20 at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall. He defeated China’s Zhou Zhiwei by ippon in the round of 16, Kazakhstan’s Yergali Shamey by waza-ari in the quarter-final, and Kazakhstan’s Baurzhan Arstanbekov by ippon at 2:04 in the semi-final.
In the final, Nazarov faced Uzbekistan’s Shohrukh Mamedov. After four minutes of competition, Mamedov secured victory with a yuko, leaving the Tajik athlete with silver.
Emotional moments before the final
A video published ahead of the final showed Nazarov speaking with his family. The emotional exchange included tears of joy, words of encouragement and a parental blessing before the decisive bout.
The medal marked a milestone for Tajikistan, whose athletes had competed at four previous Summer Asian Para Games — Guangzhou in 2010, Incheon in 2014, Jakarta in 2018 and Hangzhou in 2022 — without winning a medal.
Nazarov’s achievement came shortly after Tajik judokas also won four medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya. Jahongir Majidov took silver, while Muhiddin Asadulloyev, Abubakr Sherov and Ahliya Muminova won bronze.
Nazarov’s silver added another podium finish for Tajikistan’s judo team in Japan, this time in para-judo.
Tajikistan has been competing at the Summer Asian Para Games since 2010. Before travelling to Japan, the country’s athletes had taken part in four such events — Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014, Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022 — without anyone managing to reach the podium. Shohrukh Nazarov was the first.
It is worth noting that the historic medal for the Paralympic squad came shortly after Tajik judokas competed at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya. There, judo brought the country four medals: Jahongir Majidov won silver, while Muhiddin Asadulloyev, Abubakr Sherov and Ahliya Muminova took bronze. Now, in Japan, a para-judo representative has also stepped onto the podium.