Dushanbe is also special for the excitement it generates among the public. To truly appreciate this, you should arrive well before the start of the competition to see the line of spectators waiting to enter the stadium. Once inside, with more than an hour left before the first bouts, the stands are already quite full.
For several years now, Dushanbe has hosted international judo events, including the annual grand slam and the 2024 Junior World Championships, for example. Each time, we can expect a fiery atmosphere that delights the competitors of course, but also all those lucky enough to be there. 2025 is no exception.
Judo is a popular sport in this part of the world. The results of Tajik judoka at recent continental championships and especially their performances at both the world championships and Olympic Games, attest to this. It's also particularly interesting to see the composition of the crowd. There are all generations, young children with their parents and grandparents, men and women and all of them, without exception, are happy to be there, to cheer on their national heroes, but also to encourage all the judoka who produce beautiful and spectacular judo.
Here, everything is summed up in one motto: Tajikistan Bapesh! (Tajikistan forward), which the crowd chants enthusiastically. We are guaranteed that after this first day of competition and for the next two, we will experience great moments of judo that will push our sport even further forward.