History of Federation
The Judo Federation of Kazakhstan was founded in 1973. In the Republic, Anatoly Malkin, Tileuhan Amerzhanov, Vladimir Pak, Anatoly Sun, Abilhair Baybusinov, Batyrbek Seysenbaev should be noted amongst many other important pioneers of this martial art. In the all-Union competitions, the Kazakhstani judokas put up a good show straight away and our wrestler Marat Azimbaev became an European champion shortly after.
In the late 70’s and early 80’s, Ali Hamhoev, Kayrat Mysykbaev, Sergey Ashirov, Ahat Ashirov, Serik Shakimov, Aslanbek Omarov, Irina Semenyuk and others Kazakhstanis became new winners and prizetakers in the USSR Summer Sport Contests (Spartakiads) and in various championships of the Soviet Union and Europe.
After the Independence Proclamation in late 1991, Kazakhstan was able to put forth the national teams in various level international competitions. Already in 1993 in the Asian Judo Championship, the Kazakh national team took the 2nd place in the overall standings, yielding only to the Japanese.
Since 1994, our judokas worthily present Kazakhstan at the Asian Games. The national team’s thriftbox contains numerous medals of all three ranks of this prestigious championship.
At the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow, the golden medal was won by Yerlan Slyambaev. In various years, our other judokas also became prizetakers in youth championships.
The year 2001 was kind of watershed for the Kazakhstan judo. For the first time, two Kazakh citizens, Askhat Shaharov and Askhat Zhitkeev, took the bronze medal in an adult World championship. Later, in 2008, Askhat Zhitkeev —by then not only a World championship bronze-winner but the three-time Asian champion— earned the first Olympic silver in judo to Kazakhstan.
In 2009, for the first time in the national judo history, the 23 year old Kazakhstani athlete Maksim Rakov won an adult world championship’s gold medal. At that time, men’s national team took the third position in the overall standings, yielding to Russia and South Korea but leaving Japan behind.
In the same year, former head of the Boxing Federation of Kazakhstan Beket Makhmutov became the president of the Judo Federation of Kazakhstan. During this period, the Kazakh national judo team won four Olympic golds and two Val Barker Cups. Today, Kenes Rakishev heads the Federation being elected November 13, 2012, at a Special JFK conference.
Our athletes stably occupy the podium thanks to the judo coaches whom one cannot but note. Their names are: Zheksenbay Salamatov, Talgat and Kanat Baysholakov, Manarbek Tautanov, Samat Zhylkybaev, Asylbek Kulmagambetov, Bostan Zhanbyrbaev, Yerbol Kirgizbaev, Nikolay Potapenya, Vladimir Kichatov, Pernibek Kultaev, Yermek Imanbekov, Sergey Rakov, Galymzhan Zhylgeldiev, Mikhail Shepetyuk, Aleksandr Patokin, Aleksandr Baranov and many others.
A member of the Kazakh judo judicature Mukhsum Nurtazin worthily presented our country in the international arena by participating in the largest and prestigious athletic events as a top expert. For example, he was an umpire at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.
During the existence of the Judo Federation of Kazakhstan, the national team’s prize collection was supplemented with 88 medals altogether, including 18 gold, 19 silver, and 51 bronze.
In 2010 and 2011, Kazakhstan hosted the stages of the Judo World Cup. In 2012, Almaty was the venue of the World Masters Tournament, which, in every weight division, identifies the best judoka from 16 strongest ones over the world. Nine Olympic champions and about twenty world championship winners took part in the tournament. There, Maksim Rakov confirmed his high title by winning the gold medal.
At the same time, Kazakhstan was first visited by the head of the International Judo Federation Marius Wieser who pointed out the high organisation level of the World Masters Tournament and called our country as one of the Asian judo leaders. Since 2013, Kazakhstan will also hold the Judo Grand Prix.
But the international authority of the Kazakh judo is strengthened not only with important sporting events and our judokas’ achievements. At the Abu Dhabi Asian Judo Congress in April 2011, Beket Makhmutov was reelected as a second term vice-president of the continental organization.
At the 2012 London Olympics, the champion title has been contested by judokas from 135 countries. Besides the judo four-year main start selection system is one of the most severe. Nevertheless, despite difficulties the Kazakh judo men’s national team has shown a perfect result by taking seven licenses of seven possible.
We are glad to note the judo popularity growing in our country. Adult and youth national championships pass regularly being attended every year by over 10 thousand athletes from all over the countrie. We hope this trend to continue.