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Sport 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Uzbek Coach Honored for Supporting Kyrgyz Olympic Boxer

Uzbek coach Akmal Hasanov has been honored for helping Kyrgyz boxer Munarbek Seyitbek-uulu make it to the semi-finals in the Paris Olympics. According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture, Munarbek's personal trainer, Beganas Sultanbaev was unable to attend the event due to the expiry of his international accreditation and because the head coach of the Kyrgyz national boxing team was likewise absent, the Uzbek specialist agreed to act as a second for a boxer from another country. Munarbek Seyitbek-uulu regularly trained at Uzbekistan's training camps and hence, was well acquainted with both fellow athletes and the Uzbek coach who in a statement, emphasized , "Munarbek trained with us and because he came to the Olympics alone, asked me to help. Since our countries have friendly relations, we were happy to help him. He made history and became the first Olympic boxing medalist in the history of Kyrgyzstan." In lieu of the magnanimous role played by the coach, honored cultural worker of Kyrgyzstan Assol Moldokmatova, together with the son of renowned Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, decided to award Akmal Khasanov with a medal "for humanism, tolerance, humanity and high level of people's diplomacy." "Today, I called Uzbek coach Akmal Hasanov in Paris to express my gratitude and to rejoice in the news that he has been honored with the medal of the great writer Chingiz Aitmatov," posted Moldokmatova on social media. " I thank Akmal for his humanity and brotherly attitude. We appreciate, respect, and admire you! You are worthy of all praise and awards!"

Sport

Chess: Young Kazakh Boy Takes on World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-ranked chess player for more than a decade, stretched back and yawned as he waited to begin a match at the 2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan. Facing him across the board was Nurassyl Primbetov, a young Kazakh boy who smiled and straightened his black pieces in their squares ahead of what was surely one of his biggest moments as a chess talent. Primbetov was born in 2013, according to the FIDE website. “Who is this young player? It must be so exciting for him to be facing Magnus Carlsen,” said Irina Krush, an American grandmaster doing commentary for FIDE, the International Chess Federation, on its YouTube channel. Another commentator warned against underestimating very young players, saying they are often “super dangerous” in blitz chess. It was one of the more unusual encounters in the chess event, which drew many of the world’s best players to the Kazakh capital over the past week. In the rapid chess contest, the Al-Ain ACMG UAE team was the winner, while the Decade China team led by world champion Ding Liren came second. The WR Chess team, which included Carlsen, won the blitz portion of the championship, defeating Indian squad MGD1 in the final on Monday. “I’ve been struggling a bit here, coming from a big time difference. I haven’t really been able to sleep much. Today I was really running on fumes,” a bleary-eyed Carlsen said after his team’s blitz victory in an interview on the FIDE channel. Carlsen, who is from Norway, said adrenaline had eventually kicked in and he was able to focus better. “Honestly, I just want to sleep. So, that’s how I’ll celebrate,” he said. Earlier, there was buzz around the clash between Carlsen, with a rating of 2,888 points in blitz chess, and Primbetov, with a rating of 1,904. “As a kid, it is not every day that you get to play with the world #1 Magnus Carlsen,” ChessBase India said. Representing the Baiterekchess team, Primbetov met Carlsen in a pre-knockout qualifying round. The Kazakh player came under early pressure as Carlsen’s white knights pushed hard on the black king side. Blitz games last just a few minutes and 33-year-old Carlsen was up on the clock against his young opponent, who was running out of time. Still, Krush noted that Carlsen, a world champion in multiple years, wasn’t trying to play very fast or unleash any fancy moves that could deliver a quick checkmate against the Kazakh boy. “He’s not trying to put any psychological pressure on his young opponent,” Krush said, adding that she didn’t think it was “an accident” because Carlsen tends to show a “gentleman-like demeanor towards these younger players.” Carlsen was once a child prodigy himself. As a 13-year-old in 2004, he drew a game against Garry Kasparov, one of the all-time greats. As Carlsen’s position strengthened and a win appeared inevitable, Primbetov played for a stalemate instead of resigning. But Carlsen bore down with a...

Sport 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Cash, Horses, But No Meatballs — What Kazakhstan’s Olympic Medalists Receive For Their Success

As Kazakhstani athletes begin returning home from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the medalists are being greeted not only by new fans, but with payments and presents from the government. Yeldos Smetov, Kazakhstan's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in judo, received the keys to a Lexus LX 600 SUV worth at least 78 million KZT ($165,000). He was also given a 5-room apartment in his native Taraz, and a check for 2.6m KZT ($5,500). Smetov received a $250,000 government bonus, lifetime monthly payments of 369,000 KZT ($785), and was promised a herd of 100 thoroughbred horses. Meanwhile, Gusman Kyrgyzbayev, a bronze judo medalist at the Games, was also showered with gifts. A judoka who usually represents the Ministry of Defense's own sports club, Kyrgyzbayev was promoted from senior lieutenant to captain upon his return to Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzbayev was also given a Toyota Land Cruiser-250 SUV worth about 31 million KZT ($65,000), and received $75,000 as a state award. Kazakhstan's Ministry of Tourism and Sports has announced monetary incentives for anyone else who brings a medal home from Paris. Gold medalists will be paid $250,000; silver medalists will receive $150,000, and bronze medalists will receive $75,000. Bonuses of $30,000, $10,000, and $5,000 are also provided for 4th, 5th, and 6th places respectively. As generous as the Kazakh government has been, in East Asia the rewards are even more lavish. The government of Hong Kong is promising prize money of 6 million local dollars ($768,000) to any champions at the 2024 Olympics. In Malaysia, meanwhile, the recent gold medalists in badminton doubles, Apriyani Rahai and Gracie Poli, were each given five cows, a specialty meatball restaurant, and a new house.

Sport

Turkmen Tennis Player to Enter Qualifying for Junior French Open

Sabrina Rakhmanova, an under-17 tennis player from Turkmenistan, has been given a 'wild card' entry to compete in a regional qualifying tournament for the junior French Open. The winner of the Central and West Asia qualifier, which will be held at Almaty's Gorky Tennis Park from August 5-9, will earn a place in the competition's main draw, on the clay courts at Roland Garros in Paris. The French Open at Roland Garros has been held since in 1891. Its main and junior competitions are one of the four annual Grand Slams, making them one of the world's biggest tennis tournaments. Rakhmanova's opportunity to play at the qualifying tournament came thanks to a new partnership between the Asian Tennis Federation and the French Tennis Federation. Rakhmanova is currently being coached by Turkmenistan's leading tennis coach, Mirali Hasanov, at a three-week training camp in Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan organizes various tennis tournaments, and the country marks World Tennis Day with competitions for juniors and adults. The national tennis federation organizes the Central Asian Team Championships in Ashgabat for children under twelve.

Sport Football Asian Cup soccer

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan Poised to Host the 2035 Asian Cup

Three Central Asian countries—Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—are poised to submit a joint application to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to host the Asian Cup 2035 ; the main competition of Asian national football teams. On his “Futbolium” Telegram channel, sports expert Alisher Nikimbayev informed subscribers ,“I have no right to speak officially. But as far as I understand, this is how everything is planned for 2035. And there is already unofficial support from the AFC for this proposal." Nikimbayev mentioned that in addition to the refurbishment of current facilities, new stadiums are being built in Bishkek and Dushanbe. The stadium in Khujand is also being put in order. He finished by noting that Uzbekistan already has stadiums that meet FIFA requirements.

Sport Environmental Disaster Excessive Irrigation Aral Sea

Testing Limits: Marathoners Head For the Shrinking Aral Sea to Run in the Desert

The dry bed of the Aral Sea, a symbol of ecological disaster in Central Asia, will host one of the world’s more extreme marathons on Sunday. Supported by aid stations and medical staff, a small band of athletes will run on sand, gravel and stones, inhaling salty air in scorching temperatures and bracing themselves against strong winds. The Aral Sea Eco Marathon is being held in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan and planners aim to draw attention to what was once the fourth biggest saltwater lake and is now about 10 percent of its original size. Race promoters also want to highlight the need for sustainable use of water. The marathon roughly coincides with the United Nations-designated day to combat desertification and drought, which falls on June 17. Andrey Kulikov, founder of the ProRun running school in Uzbekistan, ran a marathon distance in the area last year with American ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes in 4:51:18. Kulikov planned this year’s event with the help of Aziz Abdukhakimov, Uzbekistan’s minister of ecology, environmental protection and climate change. A limit of 100 runners was set, though far fewer signed up. Still, Kulikov said participants are from countries including Japan, China, France, Pakistan, Kenya, Togo and the Philippines. He hopes to expand the event next year. Uzbek participant Denis Mambetov said in a text interview on Telegram that he is taking part because of “a passion for adventure, for something new and unusual, to test one’s strength, and, of course, to draw the attention of others to an environmental problem of global proportions.” The Aral Sea, which lies between northern Uzbekistan and southern Kazakhstan, began shrinking significantly in the 1960s when water from the rivers that fed it was rerouted for Soviet-led agricultural irrigation. The subsequent emergency of the Aralkum Desert and the sand and dust storms arising from the world’s newest desert have polluted the environment and severely affected health in local communities. There are regional and international efforts to restore the Aral Sea ecosystem, including seed-planting and the implementation of water-saving technologies. The five Central Asian countries - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – formed a group three decades ago, soon after independence from Soviet rule, to address the problem. The gap between goals and results is wide, though the countries are recognizing the wider threat of water scarcity as the planet becomes hotter. “Colleagues are well aware that the problem of water shortage in Central Asia has become acute and irreversible and will only worsen in the future,” Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said at a regional meeting on the Aral Sea last year. “Experts believe that in some regions of Central Asia pressure on water resources will increase three times by 2040. Economic damage could eventually reach 11 percent of regional gross product.” Nurbek Khusanov, who will run the marathon on Sunday, works at SQB, a top bank in Uzbekistan, and is a leader of its efforts to promote “green” policies that aid the environment. The marathon will “attract more people to the Aral...