Construction has begun in the Atyrau region on Kazakhstan’s first sports boarding school for athletically gifted children, to be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the private partner will be responsible for the full project cycle from design and construction to technical maintenance of the facility for five years after its completion, which is scheduled for May 2027.
The new school will feature modern academic buildings and residential facilities. The 3.2-hectare site will include an academic block for 400 students, a 300-bed dormitory, 13 gyms, a swimming pool, a cafeteria, a library, a stadium, running tracks, and basketball and volleyball courts.
The project in Atyrau is intended as a pilot, with plans to replicate similar facilities in other regions of the country.
The school is expected to train 400 young athletes across 13 Olympic sports. Officials say the project will create improved conditions for developing the country’s sports reserve by integrating academic education with professional training.
In recent years, the development of sports in Kazakhstan has received increased state support, contributing to stronger performances by Kazakh athletes in international competitions.
In the first quarter of 2026, Kazakhstani athletes won 200 medals at international events: 79 gold, 57 silver, and 64 bronze.
At the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy, in February, Kazakhstan won one gold medal and finished 19th in the overall medal standings. This marks the country’s best result since 1994, when it placed 12th at the Lillehammer Olympics, where skier Vladimir Smirnov won gold. In 2026, Kazakhstan’s only medal was secured by figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov, who became the country’s first Olympic champion in figure skating.
At the Paralympic Games in Italy in March 2026, Kazakhstan placed 18th out of 55 countries in the medal standings. Yerbol Khamitov won two medals, gold in the biathlon pursuit and bronze in cross-country sprint, becoming the first Kazakhstani athlete to win two medals at a Winter Paralympics.
