ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s national team has won 18 medals at the sixth World Nomad Games currently underway in the Kyrgyz Republic, including six gold, one silver and 11 bronze medals, reported the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Kazakh athletes have reached the podium across several traditional sports, including horse-based competitions, traditional wrestling, strength disciplines and hunting with birds of prey.
Kazakhstan’s national team has won 18 medals at the sixth World Nomad Games currently underway in the Kyrgyz Republic. Photo credit: Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Audaryspak – four gold, one silver
Kazakhstan claimed four gold medals and one silver in audaryspak, a traditional horseback wrestling competition in which riders attempt to unseat their opponents from horseback.
Nurtalap Kerim won the gold medal in the up-to-60-kilogram category after defeating a Kyrgyz athlete in the final. Sailau Mukhammedzhan also defeated a Kyrgyz opponent, winning the final 2-1 in the up-to-70-kilogram category.
Daryn Otkelbay became the champion in the 90-kilogram category, while Syrym Izbasarov won gold in the 100-kilogram category. Rasul Kuraiysh, competing in the up-to-80-kilogram category, took silver after losing to a Kyrgyz athlete in the final.
Zhamba atu – one gold
Abzal Tulybekov won gold in zhamby atu, a Kyrgyz-style traditional horseback archery discipline in which riders shoot at targets while riding at speed.
Tug-of-war – two gold
Kazakhstan won two gold medals in tug-of-war, a team strength competition in which two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope.
The national team took first place in both the 8×8 and 4×4 events.
Alysh – three bronze
Kazakhstan won three bronze medals in alysh, a traditional form of belt wrestling in which competitors use a belt and grips to throw their opponents to the ground.
Turmukhanbet Kalmukhan finished third in the up-to-60-kilogram category in the classical style.
Zhandos Abubakir also took bronze in the up-to-60-kilogram freestyle event. In the over-100-kilogram category, Nursultan Kozhageldy finished third after five bouts.
Mas-wrestling – one bronze
Nursultan Yesimbay won bronze in mas-wrestling, a traditional strength competition in which two athletes sit opposite each other and pull a wooden stick toward themselves.
He finished third in the up-to-90-kilogram category.
Spine-bone breaking – one bronze
Kazakhstan also secured a bronze medal in spine-bone breaking, a traditional strength event involving the breaking of an animal’s spinal bone.
The discipline is among the newer events included in the World Nomad Games program.
Sambo – one gold, two bronze
Kazakh athletes also competed in sambo, a martial art and combat sport that combines wrestling and throwing techniques with grappling elements.
Sapar Bolat, competing in the over-98-kilogram category, won the gold medal. Yerkebulan Nygmetov (up to 79 kilograms) and Zhandos Beisenbayev (up to 64 kilograms) claimed bronze.
Qusbegilik – one silver, one bronze
Kazakhstan also won two medals in qusbegilik, the traditional art of hunting with trained birds of prey. Bagdaulet Babazhan finished second in itelgi salu, a discipline involving hunting with a saker falcon, while Yerlan Kenzhetayev took bronze in the itelgi event featuring the same bird.
