At the end of the year, some sports and informational publications conduct a survey among their readers to determine the best athletes in Kazakhstan. As a result, each portal presents its own version of categories and nominations. Identifying the best is a process of ongoing debate. Therefore, let's do our own investigation, based on an average rating of all the results. In this article we have collected the best athletes of Kazakhstan, whose names are now listed in world sports rankings.
1st place - Gennady Golovkin (boxing): 75.3% of the vote
In 2017, the famous athlete of Kazakhstan - boxer Gennady Golovkin (also known under the nickname Triple G) spent only 2 fights. The first took place on March 18 against Daniel Jacobs for the champion title in four categories at once (IBF, WBA, WBO, WBC). In the same match, the title of super champion according to The Ring magazine was played. This is also a significant event. Gennady Golovkin is already a champion in all of the listed statuses. Therefore, the Kazakh boxer only defended his title.
In Golovkin's professional career, this fight was the first in terms of the fact that the boxer had a 12-round fight. It was difficult. However, Gennady once again proved the superiority of the world champion in his weight category.
The second match took place on September 16, 2017 against the Mexican Saul Alvarez. On the eve of the battle, all the world media were full of headlines that the battle was sensational. At stake were all the belts of Gennady Golovkin. The judges decided to declare a draw. This caused a lot of controversy among experts and boxing enthusiasts. Earlier in the career of the Kazakh Triple G, no one was observed.
Gennady Golovkin spent an incredibly successful year and deserves the first line in the ranking of the best athletes in Kazakhstan.
2nd place - Kairat Eraliev (boxing): 7.3% of the vote
27-year-old boxer Kairat Eraliev won the gold medal at the 2017 World Boxing Championships in Hamburg, and also won bronze at the Asian Lightweight Championship in Tashkent (up to 56 kg). Having defeated the American in the final, Kairat Eraliev brought the first gold for his country in the world championship.
3rd place - Akkurek Tanatarov (freestyle wrestling): 3.7% of the vote
The top three athletes of the Republic of Kazakhstan are closed by Akkurek Tanator, who in 2017 managed to win a gold medal at the Asian Championships and a bronze medal at the World Championships in the weight category up to 70 kg. Previously, the athlete was awarded bronze at the 2012 Olympics. It is amazing that in our top all the prizes were taken by representatives of martial arts. Coincidence? Unlikely.
4th place - Meirambek Ainagulov (Greco-Roman wrestling): 3.1% of the vote
In August 2017, Meirambek became the vice world champion in the weight category up to 59 kg (competitions were held in Paris). In May of the same year, the Greco-Roman fighter won the silver medal at the Asian competition in New Delhi.
Many experts predicted the athlete an unconditional victory at the World Cup in Paris. However, it turned out a little differently. Meirambek Ainagulov is a young and promising wrestler. Therefore, it is possible that next year he will please us with great victories.
5th place - Alexey Lutsenko (cycling on the highway): 2.7% of the vote
Last year, professional Kazakh road racer Alexei Lutsenko became the gold medalist of the fifth stage of the Vuelta of Spain, the Asian champion in Bahrain, also managed to get bronze in the one-day race Dwars door Vlaanderen (Holland) and triumphantly finished the fifth stage of the Almaty Tour (he won 4 times in a row) The impressive result of Alexei definitely deserves a place higher. But what can you do if cycling is not a popular sport in Kazakhstan.
6th place - Nikita Panasenko (cycle track): 2.6% of the vote
This little-known Kazakhstani cyclist managed to win two gold medals at the stages of the World Cup cycle track. Nikita Panasenko really impressed the fans of Kazakhstan. This happened when he strategically beat his main competitor - the Greek cyclist Kristos Volikakis and became the gold medalist. This guy is the future of the Kazakh cycle track.
