Children of Asia Games – Finals

Mongolia, Philippines and Kyrgyzstan won historical gold medals in the Children of Asia Games in Yakutsk

The Children of Asia Games finished with all of the finals in the city of Yakutsk, Russia today where the continent’s best junior boxers met each other to decide the prizes in 18 different weight classes. The host Russians claimed nine gold medals while Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Philippines and Kyrgyzstan also achieved titles in Yakutsk.
The junior men boxers could compete in 13 divisions while the girls could box in 5 categories in Yakutsk. Boxers who were born in 2000 and in 2001 were eligible to compete in the boxing tournament of the Games. The Children of Asia Games is a classical multisport event to promote Asia’s sport and culture among the young 14-17-year-old future hopes. The capital of the Sakha region in the Russian Federation, the city of Yakutsk has been hosting the events every four years.
Kazakhstan’s first gold medal was achieved by Anar Kozha who won all of the rounds against Russia’s favourite Lidia Taskayeva in the final of the Women’s Pinweight class (46 kg) which was a small surprise in the Children of Asia Games. Women boxers can compete in the official program of the Children of Asia Games at the very first time and the historical gold medal went to the Kazakh talent.
Mongolia’s best woman junior boxer Ochirsukh Enkhmaa had great stamina in the final of the Light Bantamweight class (52 kg) and her efforts were enough to beat Kazakhstan’s Erkezhan Dauletzhankyzy. Mongolia’s second gold medal was achieved by Khorgolzul Dolgirkhangai in the next final where she had to meet with Russia’s Kyunnei Tatarinova. The 16-year-old Mongolian Bantamweight class (54 kg) boxer won all of the rounds and reached her career highlight in her first international competition.
Kazakhstan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup silver medallist Nursultan Nuridenov, who won several smaller international competitions this year, was too smart for Kyrgyzstan’s Muso Teshebayev, Russia’s Albert Niyazov in the road to the finals of the Men’s Pinweight class (46 kg). The young Kazakh talent met for the gold medal with Azerbaijan’s lone finalist Shirhan Malikov and proved he is the better boxer.
Kazakhstan’s super talented and youngest team member Zheksen Beybarys eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s Dastanbek Ormonov on their re-match in the semi-final of the Children of Asia Games. Kazakhstan’s 15-year-old young talent met for the gold medal with Russia’s Ivan Alekseyev who had a close victory over South Korea’s Lee Soo Min in the second semi-final of the Light Flyweight class (48 kg) in Yakutsk. Kazakhstan’s super talented boxer did his very best in the gold medal bout but finally Alekseyev’s hand was raised who won their contest by split decision.
South Korea’s Junior National Sports Festival winner Choe Do Hyeon stopped Bhutan’s Leki Wangchuk and Russia’s Artem Podkovin in the previous rounds of the Flyweight class (50 kg) in Yakutsk. The South Korean boxer tried to do his very best for the gold medal against Russia’s Denis Nekhayev but he found the best rhythm only in the last round. Kazakhstan’s defending ASBC Asian Junior Champion and AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Aibek Dosanov secured only bronze in the category.
Kazakhstan’s Alibek Zharkynbek was silver medallist in their Junior National Championships but received the right to box in the Children of Asia Games in Yakutsk. The 16-year-old Light Bantamweight class (52 kg) boxer eliminated Iraq’s new sensation Hayder Al-Nuetra in the semi-final but he was not able to solve his tactical issue against Russia’s Petr Egorov in the gold medal bout. Kyrgyzstan’s Junior National Champion Sanjar Seidakmatov was a secret favourite in Yakutsk and finally claimed bronze in the Games.
Philippines’ best junior boxer 16-year-old Cristian Pitt Laurente returned to the international level after his successes in the 2015 AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships and did not give any chance to Russia’s Arseniy Arseniyev in the quarter-final and Aikaar Olesov in the last four. His final opponent was Kazakhstan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup silver medallist Sunkar Taldybek but the Filipino talent was able to win their spectacular contest in the final of the Bantamweight class (54 kg). Cristian Pitt Laurente was the first boxer from the Philippines who could get a gold medal in the boxing tournament of the Children of Asia Games.
Kyrgyzstan’s Dildabekov Prizes Junior Tournament silver medallist Ilgiz Matmusayev is also an experienced boxer in the junior age group as Cristian Pitt Laurente and he could dominate his fights in the road to the finals against Russia’s Akhmadshokh Makhmadshoyev and Elmar Omarov who trains in the Sakha region. The 16-year-old Kyrgyz Featherweight class (57 kg) boxer worked well from longer distance against Russia’s Sergey Klyuyev and claimed his nation’s first ever gold medal in the history of the Children of Asia Games. Turkmenistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships quarter-finalist No.1 Arslan Shamyradov achieved bronze medal in Yakutsk.
Kazakhstan’s Junior National Champion Yermakhan Zhakpekov had a great success over Sakha region’s Ayan Ksenofontov in the semi-final at the Light Welterweight class (63 kg) and expected a hard battle against a host nation’s boxer in the gold medal bout. The 16-year-old Kazakh talent was amazing once again and defeated Russia’s Yakov Makushev while South Korea’s Han Sung Yun took bronze medal in Yakutsk.
Kazakhstan’s Junior National Champion Ayat Marzhikpayev came from a boxing family as all of his brothers are boxers in the national level. He eliminated Russia’s Innokentiy Grigoryev in the quarter-final and continued the winning series against South Korea’s new flag bearer Mo Gun Woo in the semi-final of the Welterweight class (66 kg). The 16-year-old boxer had strong performance also against Russia’s Ilya Meleshin in the hectic gold medal bout but his opponent’s hand was raised after the final bell.
Iraq’s lone finalist in the Children of Asia Games was Saleem Sajjad who eliminated Russia’s Daniil Bridov at the Light Middleweight class (70 kg) in the previous round and did another surprise in the competition when he met with Kyrgyzstan’s Sulaiman Suyunbek Uulu in the semi-final. For the gold medal the Iraqi boxer was not enough shape against Russia’s Ilya Bogatirev who knocked down Sajjad in the first round. Kazakhstan’s gold medal favourite Beken Pernekhan claimed bronze medal in the Children of Asia Games.
Kazakhstan’s Sagyndyk Toganbay tried to do his very best in the final of the Middleweight class (75 kg) but he was defeated by Russia’s Nikita Chirvon in the gold medal bout. Kyrgyzstan’s Junior National Champion Urmat Bektursunov achieved bronze medal in this weight class. Kazakhstan’s next finalist Aibek Oralbay did much better and dominated his gold medal bout over South Korea’s Cho Kyeong Tae in Yakutsk which was the fourth title of the Central Asian boxing power in Yakutsk.
Kazakhstan’s top junior boxer Damir Toybay stopped his opponent in the quarter-final and he was able to repeat that performance in the last four. The 16-year-old Heavyweight class (+80 kg) boxer knocked down Russia’s Yuriy Izyumov in the semi-final and did not give any chance for Russia’s Kirill Basalayev in the final. Toybay won Kazakhstan’s fifth gold medal in the Children of Asia Games which is better performance what the Central Asian country delivered in the last edition of the multisport event in 2012. South Korea’s Junior National Sports Festival winner Lee Ji Hoon was also amazing in this weight class and secured a valuable bronze medal.

List of the winners in the Children of Asia Games

Women’s 46 kg: Anar Kozha, Kazakhstan
Women’s 50 kg: Michilina Santayeva, Russia
Women’s 52 kg: Ochirsukh Enkhmaa, Mongolia
Women’s 54 kg: Khorgolzul Dolgirkhangai, Mongolia
Women’s 57 kg: Alena Kasianova, Russia
Men’s 46 kg: Nursultan Nuridenov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 48 kg: Ivan Alekseyev, Russia
Men’s 50 kg: Denis Nekhayev, Russia
Men’s 52 kg: Petr Egorov, Russia
Men’s 54 kg: Cristian Pitt Laurente, Philippines
Men’s 57 kg: Ilgiz Matmusayev, Kyrgyzstan
Men’s 60 kg: Nazar Andreyev, Russia
Men’s 63 kg: Yermakhan Zhakpekov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 66 kg: Ilya Meleshin, Russia
Men’s 70 kg: Ilya Bogatirev, Russia
Men’s 75 kg: Nikita Chirvon, Russia
Men’s 80 kg: Aibek Oralbay, Kazakhstan
Men’s +80 kg: Damir Toybay, Kazakhstan