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.
Following his example, young “sixty-kilogramers” realized they could analyze opponents not only tactically but also by tempo, while maintaining technical precision.
Home Renaissance in Nur-Sultan
The country experienced its next major milestone in 2022 when the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Palace hosted the Asian Judo Championships. The national team won the mixed team event and collected eight individual medals, rising to fourth place in the medal standings and surpassing several wealthy Arab federations. Experts highlighted three positive factors:
Support from a full house.
An updated athlete recovery system.
The involvement of a foreign analyst who helped analyze competitors’ strengths even before the draw.
These steps confirmed that Kazakhstan knows how to combine infrastructural resources with a scientific approach to training cycles. As a result, the team stepped onto the tatami not blindly but with a clear attack plan and smart seiriku — the strategic distribution of effort across weight categories. Online sports immediately reflected this progress, with a noticeable increase in interest in live matches, and judo predictions becoming part of Kazakhstan’s digital sports platform.
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