BANGKOK – Kazakhstan's national team achieved outstanding results at the Asian Championship held in Thailand. Our athletes won 15 medals: 5 gold, 6 silver, and 4 bronze medals across various sports disciplines.
Championship Overview
The Asian Championship, held from January 5-10, 2025, brought together more than 2,000 athletes from 45 countries. Kazakhstan was represented by 87 athletes competing in 12 sports disciplines. This year's results are the best in the last five years for the Kazakhstan national team.
Gold Medal Winners
Boxing
Zakir Safiullin (75 kg category) won gold in boxing. In the final, he defeated the reigning Asian champion from Uzbekistan with a score of 5:0. This is Zakir's third gold medal at the Asian Championship.
"I am proud to represent Kazakhstan on the international stage. This victory is the result of hard work and support from our entire team" – Zakir Safiullin
Wrestling
Almat Kebispayev (86 kg category, Greco-Roman wrestling) demonstrated excellent technique and won all five matches by technical superiority. In the final, he defeated Iran's representative.
Zhanar Yessenbayeva (62 kg category, women's wrestling) became a two-time Asian champion. In the final, she won against Japan's representative with a score of 7:2.
Weightlifting
Artyom Antropov (96 kg category) set a new personal record by lifting 412 kg in total (snatch + clean and jerk). This result is just 3 kg short of the Asian record.
Judo
Gusman Kyrgyzbayev (90 kg category) won gold in judo. Throughout the tournament, he won all matches by ippon (full victory), demonstrating superiority in technique.
Silver and Bronze Medals
Kazakhstan athletes won 6 silver medals in boxing, wrestling, taekwondo, weightlifting, and judo. Additionally, 4 bronze medals were won in boxing, wrestling, taekwondo, and karate.
Team Performance
According to the head coach, Serik Konakbayev, the team showed excellent preparation:
"Our athletes demonstrated not only high technical skills but also strong character. We worked on psychological preparation, and this gave results. I am proud of each member of our team" – Serik Konakbayev
Medal Count
Kazakhstan ranked 8th in the overall medal count at the Asian Championship with 15 medals (5 gold, 6 silver, 4 bronze). This is the best result for Kazakhstan in the last 5 years.
Recognition and Awards
The Minister of Culture and Sports congratulated the athletes on their outstanding achievements:
"These victories once again prove that Kazakhstan is a sporting nation. All medalists will receive state awards and cash prizes"
Cash Prizes
- Gold medal – 10 million tenge (approximately $22,000)
- Silver medal – 6 million tenge (approximately $13,000)
- Bronze medal – 4 million tenge (approximately $9,000)
Olympic Preparation
The results are an important stage in preparing for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Many athletes have already secured spots in Olympic qualifying tournaments.
Next Competitions
- February 2025 – World Boxing Championship in Dubai
- March 2025 – Asian Wrestling Championship in Bishkek
- April 2025 – World Weightlifting Championship in Seoul
- May 2025 – World Judo Championship in Tokyo
Conclusion
Kazakhstan athletes' outstanding performance at the Asian Championship demonstrates the high level of sports development in the country. These victories inspire young athletes and confirm that Kazakhstan deserves to be among the leading sports nations of Asia.
Congratulations to all athletes, coaches, and support staff! We are proud of your achievements!
