Almaty to Host 2029 Asian Winter Games

Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city nestled in the foothills of the Alatau Mountains, has been selected to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games, the country’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) has announced. The agreement was signed on February 6 in Milan, coinciding with the opening of the Winter Olympics. Almaty’s selection is credited largely to its robust existing sports infrastructure, much of which was developed for the 2011 Asian Winter Games, co-hosted by Almaty and Astana. Almaty also hosted the 2017 Winter Universiade, further demonstrating its capacity to stage major international sporting events. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports emphasized that the 2029 Games will rely on current facilities, avoiding the need for large-scale new construction. “The existing sports complexes allow competitions to be held in all sports included in the program of the Winter Asian Games,” the ministry said. The NOC of Kazakhstan noted that leveraging existing infrastructure and prior experience will ensure a cost-effective and efficient approach to hosting. Organizing a second edition of the Winter Asian Games is viewed as a strategic move to further develop Olympic sports in the country. “Hosting major international competitions, including the Asian Games, is of strategic importance for the country. It reflects the high level of trust placed in us by the international sports community and recognizes Kazakhstan’s potential,” said Gennady Golovkin, the head of the National Olympic Committee. He added that Almaty possesses all the necessary sports and urban infrastructure, eliminating the need for additional construction. Saudi Arabia had previously been awarded hosting rights for the 2029 Asian Winter Games but later postponed the event due to large-scale infrastructure developments and extended preparation timelines. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan placed fourth among 34 countries in the medal tally at the 2025 Asian Winter Games, securing 20 medals.

Kazakhstan Shines at 2025 Asian Winter Games with 20 Medals

As the 2025 Asian Winter Games drew to a close, Kazakhstan's athletes finished in a very impressive fourth place out of 34 nations in the medals table. With the competition held in the Chinese city of Harbin, the host nation dominated the events, winning a total of 85 medals, including 32 gold. South Korea followed in second place with 45 medals (16 gold), while Japan finished third with 37 medals, 10 of which were gold. Kazakhstan won 20 medals, including four gold. The team was led by biathletes Vladislav Kireyev and Vadim Kurales, who claimed first and second place, respectively, in the sprint event. Kazakhstan’s skiers and freestylers also contributed to the medal tally. Olzhas Klimin secured bronze in the 10 km freestyle race, while Konstantin Bortsov won silver in the sprint. In freestyle skiing, Roman Ivanov and Sherzod Khashirbayev triumphed in synchronized jumping, while Ardana Makhanova and Ayana Zholdas earned bronze in the women’s competition. Kazakhstan also excelled in team events. The men’s hockey team won gold, while the women’s team took silver. In cross-country skiing, the women’s 4×5 km relay team claimed silver, and the men’s 4×7.5 km relay team secured bronze. In speed skating, Kazakhstan won bronze in the team sprint, with Yevgeny Koshkin taking silver in the 100-meter race. The country’s short track speed skaters added to the medal count with gold in the men’s 5000-meter relay and silver in the women’s 3000-meter relay. Uzbekistan’s only medal came in figure skating, where Ekaterina Gainish and Dmitry Chigirev won gold in the pairs competition. China reaffirmed its dominance in winter sports. In speed skating, Ning Zhongyan, the 2024 world sprint all-around champion, and Han Mei, a two-time world championship medalist, stood out. In short track speed skating, South Korea’s three-time Olympic champion Choi Min-jung and 2019 world champion Park Ji-won delivered impressive performances. Meanwhile, China’s Xu Mengtao, the 2022 Olympic champion, claimed gold in freestyle skiing acrobatics. The next edition of the Asian Winter Games is set to take place in 2029 in Saudi Arabia.