Academy of Sport unveiled in Semey

The Academy of Sport consists of the regional Children and Youth Sports School, a wrestling hall and a boarding school for 200 students. Construction of the boarding school and the wrestling hall began in autumn 2015. The facilities were built next to the Children and Youth Sports School. So, local authorities made a decision to unite all three facilities into the Academy of Sport.

"We live in a wonderful country and I'm happy to announce that the most talented children of our region - 200 most talented athletes practicing wrestling will attend the academy," governor Akhmetov said at the opening ceremony.

Olympic champion Rypakova also came to the event to congratulate Semey residents on the opening of the sport facility on the threshold of the Independence Day. "Today we are unveiling this amazing academy where children who love sport will do what they love. It is very important to offer such opportunities to young athletes from distant areas of the region. I congratulate you on the 25th anniversary of independence. Always remember that sky is the limit, never stop improving in what you love to do," Olga Rypakova told the crowd outside the new building of the academy.

It should be noted that the academy will select the most promising athletes in East Kazakhstan region in judo, sambo, Greco-Roman and Free-Style wrestling. Children will go through rigorous selection process and stay at the boarding school for free. The young athletes will have everything they need to get ready for sports events and tournaments. Talented athletes will be selected in September every year based on their merits in sport.

The academy already hired coaches from Mongolia, Russia and Azerbaijan.