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As Ashgabat celebrated 30 days to go until it hosts the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in spectacular fashion, Turkmenistan as a whole is preparing itself for the largest influx of international visitors it has ever welcomed for an event.
More than 6,000 athletes along with thousands of coaches, officials and fans from 65 delegations will provide an unprecedented opportunity for the country which is making history by bringing the biggest major multi-sport event to Central Asia to date.
Ashgabat 2017, however, won’t just be a wonderful spectacle of world-class sport in state-of-the-art venues, hosted in one of the world’s most enchanting cities: it will be a catalyst for change that will leave a lasting legacy for a country that has a tremendous passion for sport and healthy living.
Since declaring independence in27 October 1991, Turkmenistan athletes have competed across the world at sporting events under their own flag, but now the world’s sporting focus will turn to the country itself.
In particular, Turkmenistan will showcase its appetite for sport and demonstrate the far reaching programmes implemented so that sport and healthy living play a part in the lives of every Turkmen man and woman.
Sport in Turkmenistan
The 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games come at the perfect time for Turkmenistan to elevate themselves into the category of sporting elite, having laid the groundwork for success over the past two decades.
Traditional sports like Equestrian and Falconry enjoy widespread participation in Turkmenistan, while football has emerged as the most popular sport in the country. Turkmenistan has been a member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since 1994. The Football Association of Turkmenistan organises the YokaryLiga – the country’s major league which runs from April to November - and also the Turkmenistan Cup, a domestic cup competition.
Despite its relative youth, Turkmenistan has a rich sporting history having participated in five editions of the Olympics, but are yet to win a medal. However, the foundations are already firmly in place to finally open the country’s medal tally. Thanks to the enormous construction programme to host Ashgabat 2017, the country now boasts majestic infrastructure and sporting venues designed not just to host major events, but to nurture and grow generations of sportsmen and women for years to come.
5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
With the sights set on an Olympic medal in the not so distant future, September’s 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games are a glorious opportunity to speed up the process. The fact that Ashgabat, the nation’s capital, is hosting an event of such enormous stature is a statement of the country’s aspirations to emerge as a sporting power.
Participating in the Games and competing against some of the most prominent sporting countries in the world – including powerhouses such as China and Australia - will not only help the Turkmen athletes improve their quality, but will also awaken a competitive spirit inside. This will translate to better performances – the results of which will not just be seen in Ashgabat this year, but also further ahead at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Performing in front of the home crowds provides the fuel of morale and encouragement for a sportsperson. Nothing is more fulfilling for athletes than to compete in front of a venue full of an audience cheering, rallying and whistling for them.
The opportunities, however, will not be limited to athletes competing next month. The world-class Ashgabat Olympic Complex has been designed and built to provide benefits for generations to come. The area includes facilities for educational and sports science institutions that will remain available to Turkmens of all ages – from professional athletes to schoolchildren – ensuring the legacy of the Games will outlive the event by far.
Ashgabat 2017 will change the course of sporting history for the country. To carry out a competition of such magnitude will alter the way the world looks at what this dynamic and proud country. The power of millions watching the competition taking place at the magnificent Ashgabat Olympic Complex infuses the Turkmen youth with the fuel of desire, ambition and hunger to succeed in the world of sport. The heroes of these Games will become the pride of Turkmenistan in their respective sporting domains, and provide role models whose footsteps will be followed by the next generation of champions.
Ashgabat 2017 will put the country on the world’s sporting map. It will also be the catalyst to set Turkmenistan on its way to hosting more major international events in the future.
As the country prepares to host Ashgabat 2017, the feeling is that the sporting best for Turkmenistan is yet to come.
