1. Early Life and Background
Alisher Yusupov was born on November 27, 1998, in Urganch District, Uzbekistan.
2. Career
Alisher Yusupov's judo career has seen him progress from junior-level competitions to becoming a prominent figure in the senior heavyweight division, earning multiple international medals.
2.1. Junior and Early Career
Yusupov began his competitive career initially in the 81 kg weight class before transitioning to the +100 kg category. In his junior career, he earned a bronze medal at the 2017 Asian Junior Judo Championships in Bishkek, but placed fifth at the 2017 World Junior Judo Championships. The following year, he secured a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Junior Judo Championships in Beirut. As he moved into early senior appearances, he won a bronze medal at the 2019 Judo Grand Prix Zagreb and another bronze at the 2019 Judo Grand Slam Osaka.
2.2. Senior Career and Major Competitions
Yusupov's senior career began to flourish with consistent performances in major international tournaments. In 2021, he contributed to Uzbekistan's bronze medal win at the World Judo Team Championships in Budapest.
The year 2022 was particularly active for Yusupov, as he secured three silver medals at various Grand Slam events: the 2022 Judo Grand Slam Antalya, 2022 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi, and 2022 Judo Grand Slam Baku. He also won a silver medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games. At the 2022 World Judo Championships, he placed seventh, and later earned a bronze medal at the 2022 Judo World Masters in Jerusalem, notably defeating former world champion Kokoro Kageura in the quarterfinals.
In 2023, Yusupov continued his medal-winning streak, securing a bronze medal at the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Paris, where he lost to Teddy Riner in the semifinals. He then achieved a significant victory at his home tournament, the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Tashkent, where he won the gold medal by defeating world champion Andy Granda in the semifinal and world number two Tatsuru Saito in the final. At the 2023 World Judo Championships in Doha, he earned a bronze medal, despite losing to neutral athlete Inal Tasoev in the semifinal. In the bronze medal match, he came from behind against Kokoro Kageura, securing the win with an armbar after initially conceding a 技ありwaza-ariJapanese. Later in 2023, at the 2022 Asian Games (held in 2023) in Hangzhou, he claimed an individual bronze medal in the +100 kg category and a silver medal as part of the mixed team.
Yusupov maintained his strong form into 2024, winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Judo Grand Slam Paris and contributing to a team bronze at the 2024 Asian Judo Championships. He secured another bronze medal at the 2024 World Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi. His pinnacle achievement came at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where he earned a bronze medal. After losing to Temur Rakhimov of Tajikistan by 反則負けhansoku-makeJapanese in the quarterfinals, Yusupov bounced back in the repechage, ultimately defeating Tatsuru Saito with an armbar to claim the bronze.
2.3. Competitive Style and World Ranking
Alisher Yusupov is known for his effective use of grappling techniques, particularly the armbar (十字固Juji-gatameJapanese), which he has successfully applied in crucial matches against top opponents like Kokoro Kageura and Tatsuru Saito. As of July 22, 2024, he holds the second position in the IJF world ranking with 5576 points.
3. Major Competitive Results
| Year | Competition | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Asian Junior Championships | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2017 | World Junior Championships | +100 kg | 5th |
| 2018 | Asian Junior Championships | +100 kg | Silver |
| 2019 | Grand Prix Zagreb | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2019 | Grand Slam Osaka | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2021 | World Team Championships | +90 kg | Bronze |
| 2022 | Grand Slam Antalya | +100 kg | Silver |
| 2022 | Grand Slam Tbilisi | +100 kg | Silver |
| 2022 | Islamic Solidarity Games | +100 kg | Silver |
| 2022 | World Championships | +100 kg | 7th |
| 2022 | Grand Slam Baku | +100 kg | Silver |
| 2022 | World Masters Jerusalem | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2023 | Grand Slam Paris | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2023 | Grand Slam Tashkent | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2023 | World Championships Doha | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2023 | Asian Games Hangzhou | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2023 | Asian Games Hangzhou | Mixed team | Silver |
| 2024 | Grand Slam Paris | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2024 | Asian Championships | Mixed team | Bronze |
| 2024 | World Championships Abu Dhabi | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2024 | Olympic Games Paris | +100 kg | Bronze |