Kostanay youth shine at Kazakhstan’s Golden Autumn table tennis tournament
The Golden Autumn – 2025 national youth table tennis tournament wrapped up in Almaty, bringing together the strongest young athletes from across Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Throughout the six-day competition, medals were contested in three age groups — athletes born in 2010–2012, 2013–2014, and 2015 or later.
Thirteen young athletes from Kostanay, Rudny, and Arkalyk represented the Kostanay region at the tournament. By the end of the competition, the region had secured two championship titles. The winners in their respective age categories were Zhaniya Bekhmukhambetova and Dagir Daniyarov, both from Table Tennis School No. 2 in Kostanay.
“Achieving two championship titles is an excellent result. The competition was intense, especially from the Uzbek team. Table tennis is developing rapidly in Uzbekistan, and many of their young athletes are already medalists at international events,” noted Gaip Daniyarov, senior coach of the Kostanay regional table tennis team.
The Uzbek athletes delivered a notably strong performance this year, positioning themselves as the main rivals to the Kazakhstani players.
The coach highlighted that table tennis is gaining momentum in Kazakhstan. Improved infrastructure, accessible programs, and systematic work with children are delivering results. This growth has been made possible through the steady work of sports schools, committed coaches, and the increasing support youth sports receive from both public and private sectors — efforts that help expand training, ensure tournament participation, and pave the way to major achievements for young athletes.
Partner support is also an important part of the Kostanay athletes’ development. The regional youth team has long received assistance from the Kazakhstani automotive company Allur, which supplies equipment, uniforms, and helps the players take part in competitions. The Kostanay Table Tennis Federation is similarly engaged, assisting with training, arranging travel, and promoting the growth of the youth program.
According to Gaip Daniyarov, top performance in table tennis relies not just on technique or fitness, but also on emotional resilience, fast decision-making, and a strong competitive spirit—traits honed over many years.
“We train every day, seven times a week. Typically, the one who works harder than everyone else delivers the best results in competition,” the coach noted.
The Golden Autumn tournament is one of the country’s key youth table tennis competitions. It provides an opportunity to evaluate team preparedness, update rankings, and identify the most promising young athletes.
Earlier Qazinform News Agency reported that young Kazakhstani players have won 11 medals, including five gold at the 27th Asian Youth Chess Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.
