Djuraev Akbar

Akbar Djuraev was born on October 8th, 1999, in Uzbekistan and he’s a weightlifter in the 109 kg category. He came into the spotlight when he won a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships. Djuraev is known for impressive lifts and breaking records. In 2024, he transitioned to the 102 kg category and now he’s aiming for even greater success.  

Akbar was inspired by his older brother Azizbek and that’s why he started weightlifting. He got serious about it early on and has had strong performances in 2017 and 2018. By 2018, he was already turning heads with a gold medal in the snatch at the World Championships in Ashgabat. His potential was clear, but it was in 2020 that he really made his mark when he won gold at the Tokyo Olympics. His clean and jerk of 237 kg was pivotal and propelled him ahead of the Armenian lifter Simon Martirosyan. He won with a total lift of 430 kg. This made him the second-youngest heavyweight champion since 2000. 

He didn’t stop at his Olympic success. In 2021, he won a gold medal at the World Championships in Riyadh, and lifted a total of 415 kg. Djurave is known for setting records and holds the junior world records in both the 102 kg and 109 kg divisions. 

His success is closely tied to his family. His older brother, Azizbek Djuaraev, is a successful lifter himself, and he’s played a big role in inspiring and guiding Akbar. Akbar has dedicated his achievements to Uzbekistan and he’s extremely proud of representing his country. 

Despite being successful, he remains grounded and focused on his goals.