Kazakhstan secured 84 medals and an eighth-place finish in the overall standings at the 20th Summer Asian Games in Japan, improving upon its 11th-place finish at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported.
Kazakhstan Increases Total Medal Haul
The Kazakh delegation collected 12 gold medals, 24 silver medals, and 48 bronze medals at the Games. The total medal haul marks an increase in both overall standing and gold medals compared to the previous edition in Hangzhou, according to the ministry.
Historic Breakthroughs in Olympic Disciplines
Kazakhstan’s boxing team claimed its first gold medals at the Asian Games in 12 years. Torekhan Sabirkhan won the men’s 70kg division, and team captain Aibek Oralbay captured the men’s 90kg-plus crown. In fencing, the men’s épée team defeated South Korea 43–42 in the final to capture the country’s first-ever gold medal in the event. Vladislav Yakovlev and Ivan Chernukhin delivered the nation’s first rowing gold medals, while Tamerlan Tleules secured the first-ever taekwondo gold for Kazakhstan.
Cycling and Combat Sports Success
Cyclist Alexey Lutsenko pushed his career Asian Games gold medal total to six, making him the most decorated Kazakh athlete in the history of the event. Rinata Sultanova became the first Kazakh female cyclist to win an individual time trial gold. In karate, Zholaman Biagabel and Sofya Berultseva each claimed gold. Mixed martial arts made its debut as an Asian Games medal event, with Yergali Burkutalin and Kadyrbek Shenbayev winning gold, and Sanzhar Adilov taking bronze.
Judo, Gymnastics, and Wrestling Highlights
The Kazakh judo team placed four athletes into individual finals for the first time. Yeldos Smetov, Abiba Abuzhakynova, Adilet Almat, and Azhar Askhat earned silver medals, with the squad adding another silver in the mixed team event. In artistic gymnastics, Milad Karimi won silver in the men’s floor exercise, ending a 32-year medal drought for Kazakhstan in the apparatus. Wrestling performances also improved, as the men’s freestyle team secured three bronze medals after failing to reach the podium in Hangzhou, while the women’s wrestling squad collected one silver and two bronze medals.
Disputed Marathon Race Walk Result
Kazakhstan lost a gold medal in the marathon race walk when Yasmina Toksanbayeva crossed the finish line first in the 42.195-kilometer event, but had her result disqualified because her footwear was not listed on the World Athletics approved list. The Kazakhstan Athletic Federation launched an appeal against the decision, stating that the athlete’s shoes had passed pre-race inspections and received clearance to compete.
Ministry Evaluates Performance of Sports Federations
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced it will evaluate the performance of each sports federation based on the Games results. Officials will assess how outcomes compare to prior international competitions and examine factors influencing performance. The ministry stated that if an analysis shows a sport’s current training system fails to deliver expected results, authorities will take corresponding measures, including completely restructuring the operations of certain sports federations and strengthening international sports representation.
