Stars of the world shined in the Kazakhstan Women’s National Championships

Kazakhstan Boxing Federation’s Women’s Elite National Championships was held in the city of Shuchinsk which is famous of its traditions and strong roots in female boxing. Kazakhstan’s Olympic, World and Asian medallists as Nazym Kyzaibay, Zhaina Shekerbekova, Dina Zholaman, Karina Ibragimova, Rimma Volosenko, Dariga Shakimova, and Valentina Khalzova all won their weight classes in Shuchinsk.

The year of 2022 will contain AIBA Women’s Elite World Boxing Championships, Asian Games, ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships, ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships and several other top international competitions. Before these events, the Kazakhstan Women’s Elite National Championships was one of the selection competitions.

Their Kazakhstan Women’s Elite National Championships took place in 12 weight categories in Shuchinsk: minimumweight (48kg), flyweight (50kg), light bantamweight (52kg), bantamweight (54kg), featherweight (57kg), lightweight (60kg), light welterweight (63kg), welterweight (66kg), light middleweight (70kg), middleweight (75kg), light heavyweight (81kg) and heavyweight (+81kg).

The first gold medal of the national event was achieved by Alua Balkybekova who competed in the recent big championships at the smallest female weight class. The 25-year-old boxer had to meet in the final of the National Championships with a younger rival, Anel Kudaybergen but she managed to win that title bout. Her opponent achieved medals as youth boxer and proved her potential but Balkybekova was still too experienced for her.

Two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay and AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Zhaina Shekerbekova fought for the titles of the old flyweight (51kg) in the recent years. Following AIBA introduced the new weight categories in August, the two stars have got the chance to compete in different divisions. Almaty’s Kyzaibay won over Zhazira Urakbayeva at the 50kg, while Shekerbekova defeated 19-year-old Arailym Marat at the 52kg weight class.

Akmola region’s Dina Zholaman reached her highlight at the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships where she claimed the title. The 29-year-old boxer was too smart for former AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Balaussa Muzdiman in the final of the bantamweight (54kg). The featherweight (57kg) gold medal was achieved by a technician boxer, Karina Ibragimova who changed her division successfully and defeated Andzha Sadvakassova in the final.

Nur-Sultan’s ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Rimma Volosenko used the best fighting distance against Aydana Zabynbekova in the final of the lightweight (60kg) and remained on the top of this category. Nur-Sultan’s next gold medal was taken by a younger hope, Aida Abikeyeva who worked hard to reach the level of the best elite boxers but she defeated AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Milana Safronova in the final.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Dariga Shakimova is a veteran boxer who moved down to the welterweight (66kg) and won her next national title after beating Madina Nurasheva of Shymkent. AIBA Women’s World Champion Valentina Khalzova returned to the ring after a short break in the end of 2019 and she proved a fantastic year in 2021. The currently 25-year-old boxer triumphed over a teenage hope, Zhasmin Kizatova in the final of the light middleweight (70kg).

Nadezhda Ryabets was Kazakhstan’s lone female boxer in the Tokyo Olympic Games and the 21-year-old talent has done enough attacks to beat another Olympian veteran, Marina Volnova at the middleweight (75kg). Shymkent’s Fariza Sholtay is Kazakhstan’s best light heavyweight (81kg) boxer since 2017 and she claimed her next title after beating Gulsaya Yerzhan. AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Dina Islambekova caused a sensation at the heavyweight (+81kg), she defeated the veteran AIBA Women’s World Champion Lazzat Kungeibayeva in the final.

List of the winners in the Kazakhstan Women’s Elite
National Championships
48kg: Alua Balkybekova
50kg: Nazym Kyzaibay
52kg: Zhaina Shekerbekova
54kg: Dina Zholaman
57kg: Karina Ibragimova
60kg: Rimma Volosenko
63kg: Aida Abikeyeva
66kg: Dariga Shakimova
70kg: Valentina Khalzova
75kg: Nadezhda Ryabets
81kg: Fariza Sholtay
+81kg: Dina Islambekova

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