Almaty, Kazakhstan, June 21, 2021: The Kazakhstan National Olympic Committee’s Olympic Day 2021 countrywide celebrations scaled new heights when many young fans took part in sport climbing in Almaty on Sunday, June 20.
Sport climbing, which will make its debut as a medal sport at the Tokyo Olympics next month, created a huge buzz among excited young children who were part of the Kazakhstan NOC’s drive to take Olympic Day relay celebrations to the five regions of the country.
After track and field had opened Olympic Day 2021 on June 11 in east Kazakhstan, followed by cycling in the north of the country, the relay arrived in Almaty where there was an action-packed event as young participants got into the swing of the proposed new IOC slogan: "Faster, higher, stronger – together".
A series of competitions were organised by Kazakhstan NOC and the Mountaineering and Climbing Federation of Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan NOC also took the opportunity to convey its best wishes to athlete Rishat Khaibullin, a native of Almaty, who will be representing the country in sport climbing at the Tokyo Games.
“Kazakhstan has potential for the development of this sport because almost every region of our country has natural tracks,” said Yelsiyar Kanagatov, Director of the Sports Department of the Kazakhstan NOC.
“Although in our country it is a relatively young sport, there is every opportunity to promote it. We all wish Rishat Khaibullin good luck in Tokyo,” Kanagatov added.
Alexandr Nigmatulin, head coach of Kazakhstan’s youth climbing team, said: “Climbing is rapidly gaining popularity among young people and we look to the future with confidence. We will work to make climbing as popular as athletics or cycling.”
The Olympic Day relay will next move to the west of the country where boxing and judo will be the featured sports before culminating on international Olympic Day, June 23, in the capital Nur-Sultan with a number of sports on the cards including basketball, teqball and canoeing.
