Big boxing finds home in Kazakhstan capital city - Astana

17:52, 2 August 2011

ASTANA. August 2. KAZINFORM Kazakhstan has paid more and more attention to such issues as development of sport and tourism over recent years. In particular, it is the last and most vivid Astana's successful attempt to make history in the national boxing. Kazinform refers to PM's official site.

Last year Kazakhstan received the right to host the 2011 World Junior Boxing Championship in Astana. The decision in this regard was made at the enlarged meeting of the Executive Committee of the AIBA in the city of Xiamen in China. In January five cities were contesting for the right to become home of the upcoming international boxing event. In the end two cities remained for the final stage of consideration. Kazakhstan's bid prevailed.

It should be noted that the history of Kazakhstan's boxing hasn't seen such a large scale event held in the country.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan's Boxing Federation and Mayor's Office of Astana exerted every effort to organize and hold this event at the highest possible level.

After the preliminaries 32 out of 48 entered countries continued to fight for their chances to get a medal of the Championship in Astana. It clearly demonstrated high competitive level and strength of the tournament.

Russia had more sportsmen remaining in the quarter-finals than any other country - 11 and Kazakhstan with Ukraine followed with nine athletes each.

The finals of the competition were every bit as the beginning of the event - unrespectable, unpredictable but even more spectacular. In total, eight countries claimed gold medals at the tournament in Astana.

Kazakhstan's result is one gold medal, one silver and three bronze medals. Our boxer Bekzhan Kibitkaliyev became a gold medalist of the Championship in Astana in the weight category of 54 kg. Tolegen Didar won silver medal in the category of 80 kg. Ayan Kalybekov, Kayyrgeldy Dautbek and Askar Dyusaly won the bronze medals of the tournament.

This 'gold' was Kazakhstan's first at the World Championship since 2006. As head coach of our national team Sultan Kastoyev said it was a successful Championship for our team especially taking into account a 'gold drought' of Kazakhstan's boxing for a long time. Kazinform cites PM's official site. See www.pm.kz for full version

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