Shymkent hosts 16th Asian Shooting Championships

The opening ceremony was attended by akim (mayor) of Shymkent city, Gabit Syzdykbekov, Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan and President of the Kazakhstan Shooting Federation Berik Asylov, Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek, and Chairman of the Committee for Sports and Physical Culture of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Ruslan Yesenalin.

In his welcoming remarks, the akim congratulated athletes, coaches, and guests on the start of the championship, expressing gratitude to organizers, sports federations, and all those who contributed to holding the tournament at a high level.

The event, supported by the Shymkent city administration, has drawn a group of distinguished guests, including Luciano Rossi, President of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), Sheikh Salman Al Sabah, President of the Asian Shooting Confederation (ASC), as well as representatives of leading global sports organizations. Their presence highlights both the prestige of the tournament and Kazakhstan’s growing international standing.

Over 800 athletes from 27 countries will compete at the “Shymkent Shooting Plaza” across pistol, rifle, running target, trap, skeet, and mixed skeet disciplines on August 16 – 30. Over 700 medals are set to be awarded during the championships.

The competition aims to promote shooting sports in Kazakhstan and internationally, improve athletes’ performance, determine rankings, and further develop the professional skills of coaches and referees.

Hosting the Asian Championships is not only a great honor but also an important step in developing shooting sports, promoting a sporting culture, and strengthening Kazakhstan’s international reputation for Shymkent.

As reported earlier, Kazakh leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has highlighted Kazakhstan’s utmost efforts to promote shooting sports on Friday.