Russian athletes Anastasia Bakhtyreva and Violetta Evenko have changed their sporting nationality and will now represent Uzbekistan in artistic swimming. According to the Uzbekistan Water Committee, they will debut for the national team at the Asian Games in Haikari-Nagoya in 2026, competing in the women's duet event on September 26 and 27.
The Uzbekistan Water Committee supported the athletes' decision to continue their careers and provided the necessary conditions for their training in Uzbekistan. Furthermore, the change in sporting affiliation was approved by the World Aquatics Committee in accordance with established procedures.
Anastasia Bakhtyreva, aged 23, was previously a member of the senior Russian national team from 2022 to 2025. At the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, she won silver medals in the team technical and acrobatic routines. In 2021, she became the European junior champion three times.
Violetta Evenko, 21, has shown significant results at the youth and junior levels. At the 2019 World Junior Championships, she won three gold medals, and at the 2021 European Junior Championships, she also received three golds.
During Russia's suspension from international competitions, both athletes continued to compete in domestic and other events, participating in the Solidarity Games in 2022, the Federation Cup in 2023, and the Russian Championship in 2024.
For Evenko, the move to the Uzbekistan national team marked a return to competitive sports after a two-year break. She stated that during this period she led a normal student life and worked at a fitness club, but ultimately decided to resume her athletic career.
Bakhtyreva herself offered the opportunity to compete for Uzbekistan. She explained that after her mother moved to Uzbekistan for work, she decided to continue her athletic activities in the country and subsequently invited Evenko to join her.
Although Bakhtyreva and Evenko were on the same national team for many years, they had never competed together as a duet before. In Uzbekistan, they will compete in a duet format under the guidance of coach Yulia Miteva, who worked with both athletes during their junior years in Russia and has 19 years of experience in elite sports.
Sabina Mahmudova, 17, will serve as the reserve athlete for the duet. Last season, she participated in the World Junior Championships, as well as the World Cup competitions in Paris and Sian.
The Uzbekistan Water Committee noted that this project is aimed not only at preparing a new international duet. It is expected that joint training with experienced athletes will provide other Uzbek swimmers with the opportunity to gain international experience in technical complexity, synchronization, artistry, and psychological preparation.
The federation believes that this will strengthen the competitive environment within the country, aid the development of Uzbek athletes, and introduce modern international approaches into the training system. The transition of Bakhtyreva and Evenko also gives Uzbekistan a potential chance to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as Uzbek athletes have not previously participated in artistic swimming at the Olympics.
