Boxer Davlat Boltayev has won the second gold medal for Tajikistan at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China after defeating home hope Han Xuezhen on October 3.  

Boltayev was on the winning side of a 3-2 split decision from the judges after a pulsating battle against the Chinese boxer at the Hangzhou Gymnasium.

It capped a great few days for Boltayev who achieved a quota spot for Paris 2024 after winning his semi-final on Sunday (October 1).

The Asian Games are serving as a qualifier for the Olympics for the first time after the International Olympic Committee’s decision to expel the International Boxing Association from the Olympic Movement.

The top two athletes in each of the seven men’s weight categories are set to gain a quota place at Paris 2024, while a further 20 Olympic spots, including four in each division except for the 66kg and 75kg classes, are up for grabs in the women’s tournament. 

To-date, Tajikistan has won two gold (Somon Mahmadbekov - judo, Davlat Boltayev - boxing), one silver (Temur Rahimov - judo) and three bronze (Behrouz Khojazoda - judo, Khairandesh Murodzoda - kurash and Haqnazar Nazarov - kurash) medals at the Asian Games 20023.

More than 100 Tajik athletes are participating in the 19th Asian Games in China.  They are competing for medals in eighteen of forty sports being played in the Asian Games in Hangzhou. 

Tajikistan’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) has counted on successful performance of boxers, judokas and wrestlers. 

Before this Asiad, Tajik athletes have participated in seven Asian Games since 1994 and won 28 medals, including four gold medals, including three gold medals won by hummer thrower Dilshod Nazarov and one gold medal won by boxer Jahon Qurbonov.  

The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every fourth year among athletes from all over Asia.  The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games.  Since the 1982 Games, they have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation.  The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.

Nine nations have hosted the Asian Games.  Forty-six nations have participated in the Games, including Israel, which was excluded from the Games after its last participation in 1974.  The most recent games were held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, from August 18 to September 2, 2018.

Since 2010, host cities manage both the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games, the latter an event for athletes with disabilities to compete with each other. The Asian Para Games are held immediately following the Asian Games, but the exclusion of Asian Para Games from any Asian Games host city contract means that both events will run independently of each other.