Karaganda athletes won 13 medals at the prestigious international tournament

Photo by the Athletics Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The XXXIV Gusman Kosanov Memorial, one of the most prestigious international athletics tournaments in Central Asia, was held at the Olympic Training Center in Almaty region. 214 athletes from 17 countries competed at the championship. The Karaganda region was represented by 11 athletes – ten representatives of the School of Higher Sports Excellence and one pupil of the boarding school college named after A. Moldagulova. They won 13 medals: one gold, seven silver and five bronze.

During the competition, athletes were able to score important ranking points ahead of the World Cup, which will be held in September 2025 in Japan.

– The results of our athletes are good. This once again confirms that athletics is developing and on the rise in the Karaganda region. This year we won the Youth Games of Kazakhstan again, becoming winners for the fourth time in a row," said Andrey Ageev, Senior athletics coach of the Karaganda region. – Adelina Zems especially distinguished herself at the memorial. She and her friends took first and second places in the relay races, and became the second in the 400 m hurdles. I scored points, which are not enough for the World Cup. Ahead of Adelina are performances in Tashkent and Slovakia. After that, it will be known for sure whether she will qualify for the World Cup.

Maria Yefremova also has a chance to qualify for the world Championship. She won two silver medals at the memorial – in the triple jump and relay.

The youngest participant, 18-year-old Milana Zubareva, won silver in the 400-meter run with a personal best. The young athlete is already a two-time Asian medalist.

– I ran very well. We are also planning to send her to the World Junior Championships next year," added Andrey Ageev.

Vitaly Zems, Alina Chistyakova, Evgeny Prokudin, Valeria Safonova also became the winners of the XXXIV Gusman Kosanov Memorial.

The Gusman Kosanov Memorial is included in the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Level series and is an important stage of the international season.

Gusman Kosanov is a multiple USSR champion, Olympic silver medalist in Rome (1960). He entered the history of Kazakhstani sports as the first athlete to win an Olympic medal. An international tournament in his honor is held annually in Almaty.