KAZHYMUKAN MUNAITPASOV (1871 – 1948)

Kazhymukan Munaitpasov was born in April 1871 in Karaotkel village, Akmola region. Mukan Munaitpasov studied the circus art of classical wrestling. Later  he performed in the circus troupe of the professional world champion wrestler Georg Lurich.

Under the pseudonyms Yamagata Mukhanura, Kara-Mustafa, Mahmut and so on, he participated in various international competitions in French and freestyle wrestling. After a while, Munaitpasov became the winner and awardee of different tournaments in Saratov, Kazan, Omsk, Troitsk, as well as of international championships in Moscow, Kiev, Riga, Minsk, Paris, Warsaw, Harbin.

 As part of a circus troupe, he toured the countries of South America, the Middle East. In 1909-1911, he successfully fought against the strongest Turkish wrestlers.

In 1909, Kazhymukan won a gold medal at the World Championship in French wrestling in Gothenburg (Sweden). He also became the strongest at the World Championship in Warsaw (1911).

In 1913, in Troitsk, Munaitpasov defeated 18 wrestlers from different countries. In 1927, the Central Executive Committee of the Kazakh Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic awarded Kazhymukan the honorary title "Hero of the Kazakh steppes". In total, during the years of his performance he won 48 gold, silver, bronze medals, the famous "Sigismund's belt" (1913-1915).

In 1929-1931, the hero of the Kazakh steppes performed successfully in Petropavlovsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk. Kazhymukan contributed to the release of relatives who were dispossessed and were deported to the Omsk region. The tragedy of the 30s - the famine - deeply saddened Kazhymukan, who did his best to help his fellow countrymen out of trouble. The Kazakh batyr also deserved the love of the entire Soviet people with his civil act in wartime. During the World War II Kazhymukan performed with circus performances and transferred the proceeds to the Defense Fund. With these donations, a whole fighter plane was eventually built. Kazhymukan was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.

  He died in 1948 in Lenin Tuy village, South Kazakhstan region. In 1980, a memorial museum of Kazhymukan Munaitpasov was opened in the South Kazakhstan region. International tournaments in classic wrestling for the prize named after Kazhymukan Munaitpasov have been held since 1986.