Rohid Stanikzai and Mohammad Qasemi, two Afghan national martial arts athletes, won two medals at the second Asian Youth Martial Arts Championship 2026 held in Uzbekistan. In the competition, Rohid Stanikzai earned a silver medal, while Mohammad Qasemi secured a bronze medal for Afghanistan.
Competing in the under-60 kg category, Rohid Stanikzai defeated opponents from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on his way to the final match. He was defeated in the final by Kydyr Ali of Kazakhstan and finished in second place.
In another category, Mohammad Qasemi, competing in the 45 kg division, lost his first match to Yaqub Tursunzoda of Tajikistan. However, he later defeated Kevin Koperenko of India to claim the bronze medal.
The second Asian Youth Mixed Martial Arts Championship 2026 was held from May 18 to 20 in Uzbekistan under the supervision of the Asian Mixed Martial Arts Association. Athletes from various Asian countries competed in both modern and traditional mixed martial arts divisions.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
