Editing Ashgabat (section)

==Sports==
[[File:Ashgabat South.jpg|thumb|Ashgabat Olympic Complex]]
[[File:Saparmurat Turkmenbashi Olympic Stadium.jpg|thumb|[[Saparmurat Turkmenbashi Olympic Stadium|Olympic Stadium]] in Ashgabat]]
The main sporting venues in Ashgabat are the [[Saparmurat Turkmenbashi Olympic Stadium|Olympic Stadium]], [[Ashgabat Stadium]], the National Olympic ice rink, Sports complex for winter sports and the [[Ashgabat Watersports Complex]].

Ashgabat was chosen as the host city of the [[2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games]]. Between 2010 and 2017 an Olympic Village was built by the Turkish firm Polimeks south of the city center, at a cost of $5&nbsp;billion.<ref name=polimeks>Polimeks website, {{cite web|url=http://polimeks.com/en/buildingdetail/32/8/olympic-complex|title=Olympic Complex|access-date=July 25, 2020|archive-date=May 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526184338/http://polimeks.com/en/buildingdetail/32/8/olympic-complex/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=hronika>{{cite web|url=https://en.hronikatm.com/2016/12/5-billion-from-the-treasury-spent-on-the-olympic-village-in-ashgabat/|title=$5&nbsp;billion from the Treasury spent on the Olympic village in Ashgabat|date=December 8, 2016|publisher=Chronicles of Turkmenistan|access-date=July 25, 2020}}</ref>

In October 2017 a Jack Nicklaus Designs Signature 18-hole golf course opened in Ashgabat. It features 82 sand traps and covers 70 hectares.<ref name=golf1>{{cite web|url=http://tdh.gov.tm/news/articles.aspx&article16901&cat15|title=Президент Гурбангулы Бердымухамедов посетил столичный гольф-клуб|language=ru|date=February 24, 2019|publisher=Государственное информационное агентство Туркменистана (TDH) – Туркменистан сегодня}}</ref><ref name=golf2>{{cite web|url=https://www.construction.gov.tm/ru/node/560|title=Президент Туркменистана дал старт спортивной жизни Ашхабадского гольф-клуба|language=ru|date=October 17, 2017|publisher=МИНИСТЕРСТВО СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВА И АРХИТЕКТУРЫ ТУРКМЕНИСТАНА|access-date=August 3, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808182229/https://www.construction.gov.tm/ru/node/560|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=golf3>{{cite web|url=http://turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=14851|title=Ашхабадский гольф-клуб – новое слово в развитии отечественной спортивной и рекреационной индустрии|language=ru|date=October 17, 2017|work=Туркменистан: золотой век}}</ref><ref name=golf4>{{cite web|url=https://orient.tm/pervyj-golf-klub-v-turkmenistane-got/|title=Первый гольф-клуб в Туркменистане готовится принять гостей|date=October 16, 2017|language=ru|publisher=ORIENT-ИНФОРМАЦИОННОЕ АГЕНТСТВО "МЕДИА-ТУРКМЕН"}}</ref><ref name=golf5>{{cite web|url=https://www.golfchannel.com/article/doug-ferguson/nicklaus-designing-course-turkmenistan|title=Nicklaus designing course in ... Turkmenistan?|date=December 14, 2016|publisher=Golf Channel}}</ref><ref name=golf6>{{cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/turkmenistan-golf-course-berdymukhammedov-nicklaus/28807861.html|title=Let Them Play Golf: Destitute Turkmen Get Designer Golf Course|date=October 21, 2017|publisher=RFE/RL}}</ref><ref name=golf7>{{cite web|url=https://golf.com/travel/jack-nicklaus-is-building-his-newest-golf-course-in-turkmenistan/|title=Jack Nicklaus Is Building His Newest Golf Course in Turkmenistan|date=December 14, 2016|publisher=EB GOLF MEDIA LLC}}</ref>

Ashgabat was the host of the [[2018 World Weightlifting Championships|2018 IWF World Weightlifting Championships]] and 2023 World [[Kurash]] Championships.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bigasia.ru/v-ashhabade-startoval-chempionat-mira-po-kurashu/ | title=В Ашхабаде стартовал Чемпионат мира по курашу | date=November 23, 2023 }}</ref>

The city's professional football clubs [[Altyn Asyr FK]], [[FC Aşgabat]] and [[FK Köpetdag Aşgabat]] play in the [[Ýokary Liga]], the top league of Turkmenistan.

Ashgabat is home to several professional [[ice hockey]] teams. [[Galkan HC|Galkan]], Merdana, Nesil, Shir, Oguzkhan, Watanchy play in the [[Turkmenistan Championship|Turkmenistan Hockey Championship]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://turkmenportal.com/blog/72461/v-ashhabade-startoval-chempionat-turkmenistana-po-hokkeyu|title=В Ашхабаде стартовал чемпионат Туркменистана по хоккею &#124; Спорт}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://turkmenportal.com/catalog/26796|title=Календарь матчей чемпионата Туркменистана-2024 по хоккею &#124; События}}</ref> Ashgabat annually hosts the President of the Turkmeinistan Cup ice hockey tournament.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sportcom.gov.tm/ru/item/832|title=В Ашхабаде стартует турнир по хоккею на Кубок Президента Туркменистана}}</ref> There are three ice arenas in Ashgabat: [[Winter Sports Complex Ashgabat]] (10,300 seats capacity), Ashgabat Ice Palace (1000 seats)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/node/17646В|title=Ашхабаде распахнул свои двери Ледовый дворец}}</ref> and Galkan Ice Palace (630 seats).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://turkmenportal.com/blog/2395|title=В Ашхабаде открыта еще одна ледовая арена &#124; Спорт}}</ref>

[[Inha Babakova]], 1999 World High Jump champion, was born in Ashgabat.
Born in Ashgabat weightlifter [[Polina Guryeva]] captured Turkmenistan's first Olympic medal at the [[2020 Summer Olympics]], taking silver in the women's 59&nbsp;kg.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/31896408/weightlifter-guryeva-wins-turkmenistan-1st-olympic-medal|title=Guryeva weightlifting medal Turkmenistan's first|date=July 27, 2021|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>