Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, June 13, 2021: The National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan is celebrating International Olympic Day 2021 across the five regions of the country. East Kazakhstan began the sports activities last Friday, June 11.
Kazakhstan NOC has decided to hold a holiday relay involving different sports across the country to mark Olympic Day so that all Kazakhstanis can be as active as possible. The celebrations will culminate on June 23 – Olympic Day – in the capital Nur-Sultan.
The country-wide relay began with athletics, in East Kazakhstan, simply because one of the country’s most famous athletes, Olga Rypakova, hails from this region.
Rypakova, gold medallist in the women’s triple jump at London 2012 and a four-time gold medal winner at the Asian Games spanning from 2006 to 2018, took part in athletic events involving more than 60 young children at the Olga Rypakova Athletics Arena on Friday.
“Despite the children being young, their goals are clear in that they have an Olympic spirit and a strong desire to win. I am convinced that, with this same enthusiasm and confidence, they will have a bright future,” Rypakova said.
All the children were awarded certificates for participation in Olympic Day, signed by the IOC President, Thomas Bach, and the President of Kazakhstan NOC, Timur Kulibayev.
The next stop for the holiday relay will be the northern region of the country on Saturday, June 19, with cycling being the main feature. Alexander Vinkurov, 2012 London Olympics gold medallist in the men’s road race, will be the featured athlete.
Sports climbing will be held on Sunday, June 20, in the southern capital Almaty, before the relay moves on to Aktau in the western region on June 21 with boxing and judo being the sports featured.
The climax in Nur-Sultan on June 23 will be held at the Triathlon Park with basketball and canoeing on the cards of sports. In addition, according to tradition, the NOC and athletes from all over the country will congratulate babies born on June 23 and give them gifts and letters of good wishes.
