President Mirziyoyev welcomes chess grandmaster Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (video)

On February 14, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev conversed with international grandmaster Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova.

During the meeting, the head of state expressed his delight at her return to Uzbekistan.

“We will only compete. I am glad to see her and get to know her. I have heard many good things,” the President told the grandmaster.

Following the conversation, Tokhirjonova was asked about the reasons for her return to Uzbekistan. She explained that the primary factor was the strong support for sports, particularly female athletes, under President Mirziyoyev’s leadership.

“First of all, because of the attention that our President pays to sports, especially to female athletes. And the attention paid to youth in general is increasing. I was also invited to return, and I returned,” she said.

Tokhirjonova had been playing for the US team since 2021 and was recognized as the Best Female Chess Player in America in 2023.

Notably, she left the Uzbekistan national team due to conflicts with the leadership of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation. In December 2022, at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, she competed under the US flag and secured a victory against her sister, Nafisa Muminova.

It should be recalled that earlier reports confirmed Tokhirjonova’s decision to once again represent Uzbekistan in international chess competitions.