Just like the day before, on 22 June—the second day of the Gennady Arzumanov Memorial in Tashkent—the rivalry between Kazakhstan’s Aleksandra Zalyubovskaya and Uzbekistan’s Zhonbibi Khukmova continued, this time in the women’s 400 metres.
For 22-year-old Zalyubovskaya, this victory likely carried not just sporting value but psychological significance as well. The reason lies in her main rival—Zhonbibi Khukmova. Just a few weeks ago, both competed at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. In the 400 metres, Khukmova captured bronze with a personal best of 52.79 seconds. Zalyubovskaya, however, didn’t advance to the final eight.
Before this meet, Zalyubovskaya’s personal best in the 400 metres was 53.36, set on 15 May in Tashkent at the UNG Meeting—an event Khukmova did not attend.
Beating such a strong opponent, and on her home turf no less, required both physical readiness and mental toughness to surpass her own limits. At the Gennady Arzumanov Memorial, Zalyubovskaya delivered exactly that.
She crossed the line first with a new personal best of 52.87 seconds. Despite her best efforts, Khukmova couldn’t close the gap and finished second in 53.74. The battle for third was also intense, with Uzbekistan’s Lailo Allabergenova taking the spot in 55.57. Mongolia’s Munkhtumen Otgonpurev followed in fourth at 55.95.
On 22 June in Tashkent, Zalyubovskaya didn’t just win a race—she beat the Asian Championships bronze medalist, and more importantly, reaffirmed her potential. Her underwhelming performance in Gumi may have only sharpened her focus and drive to prove she’s capable of much more. With this result, she’s broken the 53-second barrier for the first time, setting a new PB of 52.87.
While this time doesn’t yet place her at the very top of the Asian rankings, it’s a clear step in the right direction. Now, the key is to stay grounded and keep striving for excellence. If she does, those at the top—both in Asia and beyond—had better watch out.
