Nagoya, 21 October. Kazakhstan's team won its tenth gold medal at the 5th Asian Para Games in Japan, beating its own record: at the previous Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023 the team won eight golds; by the evening of 21 October it had 10 gold, 11 silver and 16 bronze medals.
The tenth, record-breaking gold was won by para judoka Zhurkamyrza Shukurbekov: in the over-95 kg J2 category he beat Iran's Mohammadreza Kheirollahzadeh Varzi in the final and another Iranian athlete, Amirhossein Nimrouzi Navokhi, in the semi-final. In para judo, athletes are divided into classes according to the degree of their visual impairment.
On the same day, according to the National Olympic Committee, four more Kazakh athletes won gold. Aktolkyn Seiilbekova won in the over-70 kg J1 category, winning all four of her round-robin bouts, and Zarina Raifova won the over-70 kg J2 category. Cyclist Nail Yermukhanbet became champion in the 20 km individual time trial in class B with a time of 34 minutes 9.17 seconds, while Kirill Ilyukevich took silver in the same event. Anastassiya Kalaus won the women's 15 km time trial in 32 minutes 21.54 seconds.
Overall, according to Ulysmedia, the champions of these Games are Yerkin Gabbassov in para shooting, David Degtyarev in para powerlifting, Ibragim Nurmakhanuly, Bexultan Kulmyrza, Aktolkyn Seiilbekova, Zarina Raifova and Zhurkamyrza Shukurbekov in para judo, Dias Kenzhebek in para swimming, and Nail Yermukhanbet and Anastassiya Kalaus in para cycling. The Ministry of Tourism and Sport said the team collected its ten gold medals in the first three days of competition. The Games run until 24 October, and Kazakhstan is represented by 150 athletes.
What it means: In three days of competition Kazakhstan's para athletes have won more gold medals than at any previous Asian Para Games, although the 2023 record for the total number of medals has not yet been beaten.
Who benefits: The record is the achievement of the athletes themselves and their coaches; it is Kazakh para sport's best result at the Asian Para Games in terms of gold medals. The sources do not report on prize money or payments to the winners.
Background: At the 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou in 2023, Kazakhstan's team won eight gold, 12 silver and 21 bronze medals, 41 in total.
List of sources used: Kazinform, Informburo, Zakon.kz, Ulysmedia, Qazaqstan
Artificial intelligence was used in preparing this material.
