Following independence, Kazakhstan boxers have achieved impressive results at all high-profile sport events including the Olympic Games. Beket Makhmutov, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who turned 75 recently, had been among those who contributed to the fame of the national sport.
The Kazakhstan National Team won 6 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze medals at the last five Summer Olympic Games. Kazakhstan boxers also won 3 Val Barker Trophies (the prize granted to the best boxers of the Olympics) getting ahead of Cuba and Russia, the reputed boxing states. In addition to their great performance at the Olympics, the boxers successfully represent Kazakhstan at other prestigious contests such as the Asian Games, World and Continental championships.
The Kazakhstan National Team won 34 gold medals in total at continental championships. Kazakhstan’s team was also quite successful at the Asian Games during which Kazakhstan boxers would always win top places having gained in total 10 gold, 9 silver, and 9 bronze medals.
In 1999, Bolat Zhumadilov won the first gold medal for his country in Houston, USA. The Kazakhstan National Team won 2 gold medals at the World Championships in 2003 (Gennady Golovkin and Galib Dzhafarov) and in 2005 (Serik Sapiyev and Yerdos Dzhanabergenov). And at the 2013 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan boxers just created a furor having won 8 medals, including 4 gold medals. In total, the Kazakhstan National Team won 10 gold, 8 silver, and 14 bronze medals at world championships.
It goes without saying that the Kazakhstan boxing achieved such success thanks to the efforts of the following people who had led the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation in various time periods and contributed a lot to its development: Beket Makhmutov, Nurlan Balgimbayev, Lyazzat Kiinov, Askar Kulibayev, and Uzakbai Karabalin. Now, the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation is headed by Timur Kulibayev.
Beket Makhmutov is one of the most respected and reputed sports administrators in the country. Thanks to his managerial capabilities, from 1996 till 2006, he acted as First Vice President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and Chairman of its Financial Committee, as well as President of the AIBA Asian Bureau. When he was in power, a number of Kazakhstanis were present in various AIBA committees: Judges Committee, Technical Committee, Business Committee, Youth Committee, etc.
It is under Mr. Makhmutov’s management that the Kazakhstan National Team would rank among three strongest teams based on the results of the Olympic Games in Atlanta (1996), Sidney (2000), and Athens (2004).
When Mr. Makhmutov was assigned to head the Kazakhstan Judo Federation in 2009, he proved himself as a great manager in this position as well. Upon Mr. Makhmutov’s assignment, the Kazakhstan citizen Maxim Rakov became the world champion among adults for the first time and the Kazakhstan judo wrestler Yeldos Smetov become the world champion among youth in 2010. At the same youth world championships, Kazakhstan’s team came second in the overall standings.
The Kazakhstan Judo Federation led by this competent professional did a lot to boost its position in the world. Thus, in 2010, Mr. Makhmutov was elected President of the Asian Judo Union. Kazakhstan hosts such prestigious competitions as the World Cup and the World Masters Tournament. Thanks to successful arrangement of the said contests, Kazakhstan was entrusted to host the World Championships in 2015.
The successful activities of Beket Makhmutov brought him well-deserved recognition: in 1999, he was decorated with Kurmet Order; in 2000, he was granted the rank of a Merited Public Figure of the Republic of Kazakhstan; and in 2004, he was awarded with Parasat Order. Mr. Makhmutov was also decorated with orders of honor of the International Boxing Association and the International Judo Association for his considerable contribution to the development of these sports across the globe.
At present, Beket Makhmutov is Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Vice President of the Asian Judo Union, Vice President of the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, and Honorary President of the Judo Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
On January 20, 2014, the respected sports veteran turned 75. The Kazakhstan sports community wishes Beket Makhmutov strong health and further success in the development and promotion of Kazakhstan sports!
Yersain NURGAZIN
Source: http://www.kazpr
