Uzbekistan wins Chess Olympiad as World Aquatics World Cup begins

Major international sporting events are taking place in Central Asia and the Caucasus. In Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad concluded with Uzbekistan securing the gold medal in the Open category. India finished in second place, while Germany earned a bronze medal, marking their first Olympiad medal since 2000.

Simultaneously, the World Aquatics Short Course World Cup is beginning its circuit. The tour starts in Baku, Azerbaijan, from October 1–3, followed by stops in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Astana, Kazakhstan. The competition features a $1.2 million prize pool and includes high-profile athletes such as Marrit Steenbergen and Cameron McEvoy, serving as a key preparation stage for the upcoming World Championships in Beijing.