Almaty meets Olympic champion Dmitriy Balandin

Mayor of the city Bauyrzhan Baibek, Rector of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Galimkair Mutanov, Dmitriy's coursemates and students of the university, representatives of the municipal sports organizations, finalists of Miss Almaty 2016 contest, young sportsmen of the city and local residents  - more than 300 people in total – gathered at the VIP terminal of Almaty airport to meet their hero.

Dmitriy’s mother Tatyana Balandina was also waiting for her son at the airport.

“I believed in my son and I was expecting his victory. When I learnt that he won, I fell down and started to kiss the TV set. We celebrated his victory together with our neighbors,” says Tatyana about her feelings and impressions over Dmitriy’s win.

“Let your children make a choice. It is also important to support children’s aspirations in sport,” she adds.

Mayor of Almaty Bauyrzhan Baibek also congratulated Balandin.

“I congratulate Dmitriy’s parents and relatives on this wonderful victory. This is the first victory for Kazakhstan in swimming. Just in a night Dmitriy became a hero for our youth. As his parents say, that was a long-awaited and anticipated victory, because Dmitriy had worked hard. And he was lucky. Due to the Presidential support and policy, our sportsmen gain such heights. Let us thank again his parents and coaches and Dmitriy himself! The whole country is proud of you, Dima,” said Baibek.

Dmitriy also shared his impressions of his performance at the Olympics and said that he was thankful to his mother who had come there to support him. "She has always believed in me. I am thankful to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, for his contribution to the development sport in the country,” said he.