Kazakhstan Tops Medal Table at World Traditional Archery Championships in South Korea

Kazakhstan’s archers have triumphed in South Korea. The national team claimed top honors at the World Championships in Ulsan, reports 24KZ. Around 700 athletes from 38 countries took part in the tournament.

Kazakhstan’s athletes won a total of eight medals: four gold, two silver and two bronze. This achievement secured Kazakhstan the top position in the overall medal standings. Twenty-two-year-old Aikorkem Batikhan from Astana excelled in two archery disciplines.

Aikorkem Batikhan, World Champion in Traditional Archery:

- I took first place in the Jamba target event and second place in the Puta target event. Last year, I finished third in Jamba at this competition. I promised myself then that I would definitely win gold, and this year I achieved it. You need good eyesight and psychological stability. If you get upset or worry because your arrow misses the target slightly, all your preparation will be in vain.

Vladislav Tsoi, Correspondent:

- The World Championships in traditional archery are not just a competition, but also an opportunity to learn about the cultures of participating countries, as athletes are required to compete in their national costumes. Another distinctive feature is that the bows and arrows must be made of real wood, just as they were in ancient times. Willow is considered the best material. Kazakhstan’s archers use equipment made from this wood.

The World Championships in traditional archery were held in Ulsan for a reason: the city is home to the headquarters of the World Federation of Traditional Archery.

Jeon Jin-ik, President of the Ulsan Traditional Archery Federation:

- These competitions are held in Ulsan because bow-related petroglyphs were discovered here. They are around 7,000 years old. This sport was popular among the upper classes, including kings and aristocrats. Today, around 100,000 people across Korea practice archery as amateurs, with approximately 1,000 in Ulsan.

Kim Chang-sun, President of the World Federation of Traditional Archery:

- The Korean federation has existed for 107 years. We established the World Federation of Traditional Archery. Our goal is to make this sport more widespread. We are asking international sports organizations to support our joint efforts to have archery included in the Olympic and Asian Games.

In recent years, Kazakhstan’s national team has consistently won medals at world championships. The sport itself is growing, as is the production of equipment.

Dias Akhmetov, Head Coach of Kazakhstan’s National Traditional Archery Team:

- Duissen Abdulla, who won three gold medals today, uses a bow made by a craftsman from Atyrau. This is an excellent achievement, as the art of bow-making in Kazakhstan had faded for some time but is now actively being revived. Workshops are opening where people are learning to make arrows and bows again.

Traditional archery is rapidly gaining popularity in Kazakhstan. Around 30,000 people practice the sport nationwide, including 5,000 professionals.

Authors: Vladislav Tsoi, Olga Liang