Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s Olympic champion Diyora Keldiyorova won the gold medal at the Aktau Asian Open 2026, an international tournament taking place in Aktau, Kazakhstan. On 17 October, the judoka competing in the women’s under-52 kg category defeated Azerbaijan’s Farida Mirzaeva in the final before the end of the bout.
On her way to gold, Keldiyorova faced Kazakhstan’s Nuraylim Sarsenbek in the quarter-finals and Gulkhан Shyngyskhan, also from Kazakhstan, in the semi-finals. Victories in both bouts secured her place in the final against Mirzaeva.
The Aktau tournament marked an important stage in Keldiyorova’s return to international competition after a break from her professional career. Following her victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she temporarily stepped away from competition.
During the break, Keldiyorova became a mother, recovered and returned to training. She is now competing again for Uzbekistan’s national team, and her victory at the Aktau Asian Open 2026 has brought her gold on her return to the tatami.
