Uzbekistan’s grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov returned to Tashkent after winning the prestigious FIDE Candidates Tournament, marking a historic achievement for Uzbek chess.
The 20-year-old player arrived from Paphos, Cyprus, where the tournament was held, and was welcomed at Tashkent International Airport by family members, representatives of the sports community, and media.
Following his victory, Sindarov was awarded the “Mehnat Shuhrati” (Order of Labor Glory) under a decree signed by Shavkat Mirziyoyev on April 17. The award was formally announced during a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.
Earlier, on April 15, President Mirziyoyev congratulated Sindarov during a phone call, highlighting that he became the first Uzbek player to win the Candidates Tournament and achieve such a milestone in the country’s chess history.
During the tournament, Sindarov delivered an unbeaten performance, securing six wins in 14 games against top-level opponents, a result described as a rare achievement in elite chess.
His victories included wins over leading grandmasters such as Andrey Esipenko, R Praggnanandhaa, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Wei Yi.
As the tournament winner, Sindarov has secured the right to challenge reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju for the world chess title, with the date and venue to be announced by FIDE.
Following his victory, Sindarov’s live rating rose to 2775.4 points, placing him fifth in the global rankings. He now stands among the world’s top players, alongside Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Caruana, Nakamura, and Magnus Carlsen.
Sindarov qualified for the Candidates Tournament after winning the 2025 FIDE World Cup, where he was also awarded the honorary title of Honored Athlete of Uzbekistan, along with a three-room apartment and financial bonuses for his coaching team.
