Uzbek Immigrants Making an Impact in High School Wrestling

An 18-year-old Uzbekistan immigrant in New York is making a statement for his local high school with his recent wrestling wins. Zafar Iskandarov is wrestling two weight classes at 170 lbs. for his high school Brooklyn International.

Zafar recently set a record win of 5-2 against Bayard Rustin Education, which was Brooklyn International’s first winning season in years.

Zafar has been recognized as one of the city’s top wrestlers, and his Uzbek background follows him. When he first started at Brooklyn International, he was one of three Uzbek immigrants at the school – now there are over 20 Uzbek immigrant students at the school of 350, with 10 of the 20 on the wrestling team.

Uzbekistan (formerly part of the Soviet Union) immigrants have been migrating to the United States in record numbers over the past five years. The Census Bureau estimates that the Uzbek immigrants in New York have doubled in the past decade, and were estimated at 23,000 in 2013.

Over ten schools throughout Brooklyn and Queens have Uzbek immigrants on their wrestling teams, including New Utrecht, Midwood, Madison, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Forest Hills. Uzbek immigrants make up 12 of the 52 wrestlers on the Midwood High School wrestling team, and 15 out of 22 wrestlers at Lafayette High School.