Just a few years ago, Kazakh sports were firmly associated with boxing and wrestling. Today, that picture is rapidly evolving. Olympic golds in unexpected disciplines, record-breaking performances at world championships, rising success in winter sports, and Almaty’s FC Kairat making it to the UEFA Champions League group stage — all these milestones are shaping a new athletic identity for Kazakhstan.
Victories in “unfamiliar” disciplines
The Olympics remain the pinnacle of sporting achievement. For Kazakhstan, Paris 2024 marked a turning point: Yeldos Smetov brought home the country’s first-ever Olympic gold in judo, while Nariman Kurbanov triumphed in artistic gymnastics. These victories didn’t just boost the medal count — they redefined expectations, proving Kazakhstan’s potential beyond its “traditional” sports.
A growing medal count dynamic
The numbers tell their own story:
2022: 530 medals
2023: 734 medals
2024: a record-breaking 1,086 medals
In the first eight months of 2025 alone, Kazakh athletes have already claimed 912 medals.
From 2018 to 2024, Kazakhstan’s national team earned 85 medals at world championships across Olympic disciplines — including 16 golds, 24 silvers, and 45 bronzes. The standout year was 2023, with 22 medals, 7 of them gold.
Boxing as a national brand
In 2025, Kazakhstan solidified its reputation as a global boxing powerhouse. The women’s team claimed six medals at the World Championships, including three golds — courtesy of Nazym Kyzaibai, Alua Balkybekova, and Aida Abikeeva.
At the combined men’s and women’s World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, Team Kazakhstan topped the overall medal standings with seven golds, one silver, and two bronzes. Victories by Sanjar Tashkenbay, the Sabyrkhan brothers, Aibek Oralbai, and others entered the country’s sporting history.
Boxing remains Kazakhstan’s #1 sport — but today, it’s more than that. It’s a national brand, shaping the country’s global image.
Fencing and football surprises
2025 brought unexpected wins beyond the ring. The men’s fencing team earned Kazakhstan’s first-ever medal — a bronze — in the team épée event.
Football also took a major leap: Kairat Almaty became the first Kazakh club to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage. The team has already faced Sporting Lisbon and Real Madrid — tough matches that, while not victorious, marked a historic milestone for Kazakh football.
Read the full story on Mustafin Magazine.
