Uzbek “monster” at the Olympics

The XXXIII Summer Olympics, hosted by Paris, concluded with a historic achievement for the delegation of Uzbekistan. The team recorded its best performance to date, finishing in 13th place overall with a total of 8 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

The judo team played a significant role in Uzbekistan's success, contributing 1 gold and 2 bronze medals to the overall tally. Notably, Muzaffarbek Turabaev made his Olympic debut in the under-100-kilogram weight category, winning a bronze medal and marking a milestone in his judo career.

QALAMPIR.UZ had the opportunity to speak with Turabaev about his impressions after the Olympics and his future plans. 

"I didn't feel that the Olympics were different from other tournaments; the only distinction was the name. The World Championship was actually more challenging for me, even though I won a gold medal there. At the World Championships, the top 5-6 athletes are awarded medals, while the Olympics can yield unexpected results," Turabaev remarked.

During the interview, the 24-year-old judoka also addressed the controversial video of Davlat Bobonov’s unsuccessful participation in the Olympics, which led to misunderstandings between Bahodir Jalolov and Temur Kapadze.

"Bahodir Jalolov mentioned one thing, while Kapadze discussed another aspect. In the meantime, videos with incorrect interpretations circulated online. Temur Kapadze talked about issues in the Olympic village, whereas Jalolov mentioned that food was provided to the athletes from Uzbekistan," explained Turabaev.

Throughout the interview, Turabaev responded to questions about his future plans, the misinterpretation of his views on education in social media, and changes in his weight.

For reference, Muzaffarbek Turabaev was born on April 5, 2000, in the Surkhandarya region. Throughout his career, he has achieved notable successes, including being the Asian and world champion, as well as winning medals at the Grand Slam and the Asian Games.