The success story of Kazakhstani Judokas at the Asian Championships

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When Kazakhstan made its debut under its own flag at the continental judo championship in 1993, the men’s team took second place, losing only to the Japanese, for whom the tatami is like a second home. This breakthrough gave coaches a reason to unite the schools of Almaty and Taraz into a single program called “Asia Plus,” where morning ne-waza training was combined with regular sparring tours in Tokyo.

Within just a few seasons, Kazakh fighters shed their overly defensive style and learned to attack from a standing position, transitioning quickly into osaekomi-waza (holding techniques), which significantly increased their percentage of wins by clean ippon. This did not go unnoticed by  Parimatch. Today, bets on sports events involving Kazakh judokas are accepted with special interest, as these fighters from the steppes increasingly earn victories before the regular time expires.

Lightweight Dominance and the “Kazakh Link Grip”

The foundation laid in the nineties became evident ten years later. In 2014, Eldos Smetov won the under-60 kg category at the Asian Judo Championships, and he repeated this success in 2016. His signature “link grip” from collar to sleeve, transitioning into a chest throw, baffled even the Koreans, traditionally strong in groundwork. Thanks to explosive footwork and swift control in ne-waza, Smetov established the Kazakh style as both aggressive and technical.

By the way, his record is not just impressive—it’s almost a textbook for a sports career:

• Winner of the 2010 Junior World Championship;  
• World Champion title in 2015;
• Silver medal at Rio 2016;  
• Bronze medal at Tokyo 2020;  
• Bronze at the 2022 World Championship;  
• Gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.