A press conference dedicated to Uzbekistan's participation in the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian and Para Asian Games was held at the Museum of Olympic and Paralympic Glory in Tashkent. The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Sports Shahrullo Makhmudov, Deputy Chairman of the National Paralympic Committee Hikmat Toshmatov, Paris 2024 Paralympic champion in para athletics Yorkinbek Odilov, as well as representatives of the sports community and media.

At the Asian Games, Uzbek athletes will compete in 42 sports, 36 of which are part of the Olympic program. For the first time, Uzbekistan will be represented in disciplines such as beach volleyball, volleyball, sailing, squash, and MMA. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Sports Shahrullo Makhmudov.

Responding to questions about Japan's hot and humid climate, Shahrullo Makhmudov noted that the weather will not be an obstacle for the resilient athletes of the republic. He emphasized that conditions are the same for all participants and that all necessary opportunities for adaptation have been created for the athletes.

Speaking about medal forecasts, the deputy minister stated that athletes' chances are equal in all categories of disciplines thanks to state support. He also explained the decision to send only the women's team to the handball tournament, noting that it has a better chance of a successful performance compared to the men's team.

Hikmat Toshmatov spoke about preparations for the Para Asian Games. At the competitions in Aichi-Nagoya, Uzbek para-athletes will compete in 11 sports, three of which are new for the country — para fencing, para archery, and boccia.

Source: podrobno.uz