Kazakhstan dominated the Moldagulova & Dospanova & Mametova Women’s Memorial Tournament in Atyrau

The second edition of the Aliya Moldagulova & Khiuaz Dospanova & Manshuk Mametova Women’s Memorial Tournament was held in Atyrau, Kazakhstan where all the ten gold medals were won by the host country. The competition was named after Kazakhstan’s women heroes and soldiers in the World War II.
More than 60 elite women boxers competed in the Aliya Moldagulova & Khiuaz Dospanova & Manshuk Mametova Women’s Memorial Tournament in Atyrau where Kazakhstan’s best ladies are also attended in the competition. Kazakhstan had four AIBA Women’s World Champion in Astana in May and among them three attended in the event.
The first gold medal of the Aliya Moldagulova & Khiuaz Dospanova & Manshuk Mametova Women’s Memorial Tournament was achieved by Kazakhstan’s 20-year-old Alua Balkybekova who competed previously in the youth events. In the final of the Light Flyweight class (48kg) she defeated two-time National Champion Alina Turlubayeva.
Kazakhstan’s first two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay moved up to the Olympic Flyweight class (51kg) once again and proved top performance in the tournament. The 23-year-old boxer was too quick for Tajikistan’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships competitor Svetlana Veglina in the gold medal bout.
Kazakhstan’s Aida Tuyakbay won an international tournament in Russia a few weeks ago but she was not the main favourite of the Bantamweight class (54kg) in Atyrau. The young hope stopped defending AIBA Women’s World Champion Dina Zholaman which was the biggest sensation of the Aliya Moldagulova & Khiuaz Dospanova & Manshuk Mametova Women’s Memorial Tournament in Atyrau.
Dametken Kelimbet was near to box for Kazakhstan in the main international events in 2016 but finally she was not selected to the top team. The young future hope proved she is ready to box for Kazakhstan and defeated the country’s best Featherweight class (57kg) athlete, Saniya Sultankyzy in the final of the tournament.
Nazym Ishchanova had to miss the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in May but she trained well through the whole summer period to prepare well to the next events. Ishchanova will be turning to 19 next month and celebrated this with a gold medal in the event in Atyrau where she was too strong for her teammate Karina Ibragimova in the semi-final and Ukraine’s Anastasia Molochko in the final.
Kazakhstan’s two best Light Welterweight class (64kg) boxers Madina Nurshayeva and Zarina Tsoloyeva were expected to fight each other in the final in Atyrau but their re-match had to postpone due Tajikistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shoira Zulkaynarova who eliminated Tsoloyeva in the semi-final. The gold medal remained in Kazakhstan following Nurshayeva’s efforts in the final against Zulkaynarova who worked well in this tournament.
Kazakhstan’s Valentina Khalzova won the gold medal in the last edition of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in May therefore her next title in the Welterweight class (69kg). The 20-year-old boxer defeated teenage talent Bayan Akbayeva in the semi-final and continued her winning path against Zura Khusainova in the final.
Kazakhstan’s Violetta Knyazeva received the right to box for her country in the 9th AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in May before her 20th birthday. The Middleweight class (75kg) talent continued her winning path and defeated her compatriots in Atyrau, such as Akerke Bakhytzhan and Shynar Yuldasheva.
Fariza Shaltay moved up to the Light Heavyweight class (81kg) and did a big surprise in the tournament when she eliminated AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Yulduz Mamatkulova in the semi-final but she was not able to win the whole competition. The gold medal was achieved by National Champion Moldir Bazarbayeva who has been competing in the international level since 2010.
Kazakhstan’s young Heavyweight class (+81kg) boxer Umida Sadykova had a successful semi-final against her teammate Nurzhakhat Tleumbetova and continued her winning path in the final against Tajikistan’s newcomer in the national team Gulmira Isroilova who competed at the very first time out of her country.

Winners in the Moldagulova & Dospanova & Mametova Women’s Memorial Tournament
48kg: Alua Balkybekova, Kazakhstan
51kg: Nazym Kyzaibay, Kazakhstan
54kg: Aida Tuyakbay, Kazakhstan
57kg: Dametken Kelimbet, Kazakhstan
60kg: Nazym Ishchanova, Kazakhstan
64kg: Madina Nurshayeva, Kazakhstan
69kg: Valentina Khalzova, Kazakhstan
75kg: Violetta Knyazeva, Kazakhstan
81kg: Moldir Bazarbayeva, Kazakhstan
+81kg: Umeda Sadykova, Kazakhstan