At a briefing following the government meeting, Minister of Tourism and Sports Yermek Marhikpayev announced that Kazakhstan is poised to compete for medals in unexpected sports at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, QazMonitor reports.
Briefing: Marhikpayev detailed the Ministry's aim to have roughly 70-80 athletes qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games, supported by a team of around 40 staff members, including trainers, massage therapists, doctors, and other specialists. Currently, the national Olympic team consists of 50 athletes.
We are paying attention to emerging sports, particularly in shooting — where there have never been so many qualifications — we have 6 licenses. So there may be some definite surprises. I think our top 3 prospects are that our boxers should not be without medals, and if our tennis players participate, then there's that possibility too. Ultimately, [chances lie in] boxing, tennis, and certain wrestling categories.
Marhikpayev also noted that in addition to the 25 rating tournaments leading up to the Olympics, the Ministry is looking forward to the 5th World Nomad Games scheduled for September in Astana.