KHUJAND, May 30, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik team has taken the second place in the first Central Asian hand-to-hand combat tournament, finishing second after the team of Kazakhstan.

The Tajik northern city of Qairoqqum hosted the first Central Asian hand-to-hand combat tournament that took place from May 27 to May 29.

In all, 78 athletes, both men and women, from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in the tournament.  Afghan athletes were also expected to participate but they did come.

“31 athletes, primarily from Sughd province, represented Tajikistan in the tournament that was held in 19 weight categories,” the chairman of the Federation of Hand-to-Hand Combat of Tajikistan, Farhod Ahmadjonov said.

According to him, Bahodur Azimov and Aziz Rouziyev won gold medals, finishing first in their weight categories among men -- -70kg and -65kg respectively, and Nigina Poulodova won gold medal in the weight category of 50 kg among women.

Organization and holding of the tournament was sponsored by the cellular communications operators Beeline and Tcell.