Kazakhstan is home to some of the best ice skating players in the world. Over the years, the country has produced a number of world-class athletes who have achieved success in international competitions.
Notable names include Denis Ten, Abzal Tikhanov, and Elizabet Tursynbaeva, who have all earned medals in the Winter Olympics and World Championships. This article takes a look at some of the best skating players in Kazakhstan and their achievements.
1. Dmitry Babenko
Dmitry Babenko is a Kazakhstani speed skater who has competed in the Winter Olympics on three occasions. In 2006, he represented Kazakhstan in the 5000 meters event, where he placed 23rd.
Four years later, in 2010, he returned to the Winter Olympics to again compete in the 5000 metres, this time managing a 15th place finish. Babenko is a remarkable athlete and has achieved great success in his career.
He has shown his commitment to the sport of speed skating by competing in the Winter Olympics three times and achieving respectable positions in the process. His impressive track record is a testament to his dedication and hard work.
2. Yekaterina Aydova
Yekaterina Aydova is a Kazakhstani speed skater from the city of Karaganda.
She has competed in a number of prestigious events, including the 2011, 2012 and 2013 World Sprint Championships in Salt Lake City, the 2014 World Sprint Championships in Nagano, and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Aydova has a long history of competing in speed skating events and has been a consistent presence at the highest levels of the sport. Her accomplishments demonstrate her dedication to the sport and her skill as a speed skater.
She is a role model for aspiring speed skaters, and her participation in the 2014 Winter Olympics is a testament to her commitment to excellence.
3. Denis Kuzin
Denis Valerievich Kuzin is a world-renowned speed skater from Kazakhstan. He is a multiple gold medalist with a long-standing career in the sport.
Kuzin has achieved success at various levels, including the 2013 World Single Distance Championships where he won the gold medal in the 1000-meter race. His victory marked the first time a Kazakh athlete had won a gold medal in this event.
This victory was a major accomplishment for Kuzin and for Kazakhstan, as it demonstrated the country’s commitment to excellence in the sport of speed skating. Kuzin has continued to build on his success, competing in a variety of events at the highest levels.
He has earned several medals in the 1000 meters and 1500 meters races and is currently ranked in the top 10 in the world for both events.
He is widely considered one of the best speed skaters in the world, and his wins have inspired other athletes in Kazakhstan to pursue their passion for the sport. Kuzin is an inspiration to many people in Kazakhstan and around the world.
He has achieved success through hard work and dedication and serves as a role model for athletes of all ages.
His dedication to the sport of speed skating has been rewarded with numerous medals, and his accomplishments have helped to make Kazakhstan a major force in the world of speed skating.
4. Roman Krech
Roman Krech is an accomplished Kazakhstani speed skater. He has achieved success in numerous competitions throughout his career. In 2014, he had the opportunity to compete in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Representing his country, Roman Krech competed in the 500-meter speed skating event. Despite the strong competition from the world’s best skaters, Roman Krech was able to hold his own and performed well.
He was able to showcase his talent and demonstrate his prowess as a speed skater. His performance in Sochi was a testament to the hard work and dedication he puts into his sport.
Roman Krech is a true example of an Olympic athlete and has inspired many people throughout the world.
5. Lyudmila Prokasheva
Lyudmila Vyacheslavovna Prokasheva is a former speed skater who achieved great success while representing Kazakhstan. In 1998, she won an Olympic bronze medal in the 5000 meters, making her one of the few Kazakh athletes to have ever won an Olympic medal.
Prokasheva also achieved a silver medal in 1995 at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women, further cementing her place in the history books. Prokasheva’s success is an inspiration to many athletes around the world, regardless of their nationality.
Her achievements are a testament to her hard work and dedication to the sport of speed skating and serve as proof that hard work and determination can lead to great success. She is an example of what can be achieved when an athlete puts in the effort to excel.
Prokasheva’s example is even more impressive considering the amount of competition she faced. Not only was she competing against athletes from around the world, she was also competing against the odds to make her dreams a reality.
Despite the challenges she faced, Prokasheva’s accomplishments show that hard work and dedication can be rewarded with great success. The accomplishments of Lyudmila Vyacheslavovna Prokasheva are a source of pride for Kazakhstan and the entire speed skating community.
Her example serves as an inspiration to athletes everywhere, and her story is a reminder that hard work and dedication can always lead to success.
6. Nadezhda Morozova
Nadezhda Morozova is a speed skater from Kazakhstan. She was born as Nadezjda Sidelnik and is known for competing in long track speed skating events.
She first began speed skating at the young age of five and has since gone on to represent Kazakhstan in a variety of international competitions. Morozova has achieved many accomplishments in her career, such as winning the Kazakhstan national all-around title multiple times and also winning the bronze medal in the 500 m event at the Asian Speed Skating Championships.
She is also a two-time Olympian, having competed in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Morozova is considered one of the best speed skaters in the world and her hard work and dedication to the sport has helped her to reach the top.
She is an inspiration to many young skaters and her success has helped to promote the sport in her home country.
7. Nataliya Rybakova
Nataliya Rybakova is a professional speed skater from Kazakhstan. She has been competing in speed skating since a young age and is well known in the international speed skating community. At the 2006 Winter Olympics, Nataliya Rybakova competed in the women’s 3000 metres event.
This was her first time competing at the Olympics and she did exceptionally well, finishing in the top ten. She was the first Kazakhstani skater to compete in the Winter Olympics.
Since the 2006 Olympics, Nataliya Rybakova has continued to compete in various speed skating events.
She has participated in the World Single Distance Championships multiple times, and in 2018 she took part in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Nataliya Rybakova is a true inspiration for aspiring speed skaters.
Her commitment and dedication to the sport have made her an international figure in the speed skating world. Her success at the Winter Olympics is a testament to her hard work and determination.
She is an example of what can be achieved when one is passionate and committed to their sport.
8. Nikolay Uliyanin
Nikolay Uliyanin is a Kazakhstani speed skater who has made an impact on the world of speed skating. He has competed in many competitions, most notably the 2002 Winter Olympics. At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Uliyanin competed in the men’s 1500 metres event.
His participation in the Olympics was a testament to his skill and dedication to the sport. Uliyanin has had impressive results in his speed skating career. He has won multiple medals in competitions all over the world. He has also set several national records in Kazakhstan.
As a result of his accomplishments, he was even awarded the honorary title of “Honored Master of Sports” by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Sport. Uliyanin is a true champion when it comes to speed skating.
His dedication and hard work have allowed him to reach heights that many others have not. He is an inspiration to all who are interested in the sport of speed skating and is a reminder that hard work and determination can lead to great success.
9. Sergey Ilyushchenko
Sergey Ilyushchenko is a Kazakhstani athlete specializing in the sport of speed skating. He is most notable for competing in the men’s 5000 meters event at the 2002 Winter Olympics. At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Sergey was able to compete in the men’s 5000 meters event.
This was a great achievement due to the fact that Kazakhstan had only recently become an independent nation. During the event, Sergey was able to place 17th out of the 33 athletes who competed in the event.
Outside of the Olympics, Sergey has achieved success at other international competitions. He is a two-time bronze medalist in the 5000 meters at the Asian Winter Games.
He has also won gold at the 2002 Asian Championships in the same event, as well as a silver medal at the World Cup in 2004. It is clear that Sergey is a talented speed skater and his 2002 Olympic performance is a testament to that.
Overall, Sergey Ilyushchenko is an accomplished speed skater from Kazakhstan. He has achieved success in local and international competitions, and his 2002 Winter Olympic performance was a great accomplishment.
Sergey is a testament to the power of hard work and dedication, and he is an inspiration to aspiring speed skaters all around the world.
10. Anzhelika Gavrilova
Anzhelika Gavrilova is a professional speed skater from Kazakhstan. She is most notable for her participation in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
During the 2002 Winter Olympics, Gavrilova competed in two events: the Women’s 500 meters and the Women’s 1500 meters.
Gavrilova was one of the many athletes representing Kazakhstan in the 2002 Winter Olympics, and her participation was a great source of pride for the country. Gavrilova’s speed skating career began at a young age. She was a natural talent and quickly rose to the top of her class.
Gavrilova enjoyed a successful career in her native country before she was selected to represent Kazakhstan in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
She was the first female speed skater from Kazakhstan to qualify for the Olympics. At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Gavrilova made an impressive showing. She finished in fourth place in the Women’s 500 meters and eighth place in the Women’s 1500 meters.
Although she did not medal, her performance was still admirable. Gavrilova was a true inspiration for her country and for other female speed skaters around the world. Anzhelika Gavrilova’s participation in the 2002 Winter Olympics is a testament to her dedication and hard work.
Her impressive performance has set a high standard for future speed skaters from Kazakhstan and will continue to inspire athletes everywhere.
11. Vladimir Kostin
Vladimir Kostin is a professional speed skater from Kazakhstan. He has competed in various speed skating events throughout the world and was part of the Kazakhstani team at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
At the Olympics, Kostin competed in two separate events, showing off his impressive speed skating prowess. He was part of the Men’s 5000m and Men’s 10000m events, although he did not win any medals.
Despite this, his performance in these events was remarkable and he showed the world that Kazakhstan had some talented speed skaters.
12. Aleksandr Zhigin
Aleksandr Zhigin is a Kazakhstani speed skater who has competed in the Winter Olympics twice. In 2006, he represented Kazakhstan in the 500 and 1000 meters events, achieving a 34th and 36th place finish respectively.
Eight years later in 2014, Zhigin returned to the Winter Olympics and once again competed in the 1500 metres event, this time achieving a 34th place finish.
Zhigin’s determination and dedication to the sport of speed skating is admirable, especially considering the amount of time and effort required to prepare for the Winter Olympics.
He has consistently achieved respectable results, despite the very high level of competition he has been up against. This speaks highly of his athletic ability, as well as his commitment to his sport.
13. Fyodor Mezentsev
Fyodor Mezentsev is a world-renowned speed skater from Kazakhstan. He was born and raised in the city of Almaty, where he was introduced to the sport at the age of 10 by his mother and sister.
As his talent grew and he developed an interest in the sport, he was taken on as a student of renowned coach Dmitry Babenko. Under Babenko’s guidance, Mezentsev was able to develop his skills and hone his technique, becoming a formidable speed skater.
With Babenko’s help, Mezentsev was able to reach the pinnacle of his sport and cement his name in the history of speed skating. He is now considered one of the greatest speed skaters of all time.
14. Vadim Sayutin
Vadim Aleksandrovich Sayutin is a former speed skater who has represented four countries in his career. He was born in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, a city known for its famous Medeo skating rink.
Sayutin began his career representing the Soviet Union, then the Commonwealth of Independent States, then Kazakhstan, and finally Russia.
As a result of his success, he was able to travel around the world competing in various speed skating events. Sayutin was especially successful while competing for the Soviet Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
He was able to win several medals in international competitions, including a gold medal in the 1991 European Speed Skating Championships.
Additionally, he was able to set several world records during his career, including a world record for the 500m in 1988. Sayutin is now retired from speed skating, but his legacy lives on.
He is remembered as one of the great speed skaters of all time and his accomplishments will be remembered for years to come. He is an inspiration to all of the skaters who come to the Medeo skating rink, the same rink where he began his career.
Sayutin will always be remembered as a speed skating legend.
15. Elizabet Tursynbaeva
Elizabet Tursynbaeva is a retired Kazakh figure skater who achieved great success in her career. She is the 2019 World silver medalist, having placed second in the World Figure Skating Championships that year.
In the same year, she also won the silver medal at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Furthermore, she is the 2017 CS Ice Star champion, which is an international figure skating competition held in Moscow.
Her impressive record also includes the 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy silver medal, a competition which is part of the ISU Challenger Series. Tursynbaeva was a dominant force in the world of figure skating and her accomplishments are admirable.
She has proven that hard work and dedication can pay off, and she has left an inspiring legacy in the sport.
16. Denis Ten
Denis Yurievich Ten was an incredible figure skater from Kazakhstan. He was an incredibly decorated athlete, winning numerous awards throughout his career. In 2014, he won the bronze medal at the Olympics.
He was also a two-time World medalist, the 2015 Four Continents champion, the 2017 Winter Universiade champion, and a five-time national champion of Kazakhstan. Ten was especially known for his incredible athleticism and grace on the ice.
He was known for his powerful jumps and creative spins, which were often praised by judges and fans alike. He was also a master of the art of transitions, making his programs truly unique and mesmerizing.
Throughout his career, Ten was an inspiration to figure skaters all across the world. He was an example of what hard work and dedication could achieve, and he inspired countless others to pursue their dreams.
His legacy will continue to live on and serve as an example of what can be achieved through dedication and perseverance. Denis Yurievich Ten was a true champion, and his memory will live on forever.
17. Mikhail Shaidorov
Mikhail Stanislavovich Shaidorov is a highly accomplished Kazakhstani figure skater.
He has achieved a considerable amount of success in the figure skating world, including winning the bronze medal at the 2021 Sofia Trophy, finishing fifth at the Four Continents Championships twice, and being a three-time Kazakhstani national champion.
Most recently, Shaidorov finished fourth at the 2023 Winter World University Games. This indicates that he is a remarkable athlete who has achieved a great deal of success on the international stage.
Moreover, his consistent success in the Kazakhstani national championships shows that he is an elite figure skater. It is clear that Shaidorov is a talented figure skater who is capable of competing at the highest levels of the sport.
18. Marina Khalturina
Marina Khalturina is a talented figure skater who has represented Kazakhstan in competitions both as a pair skater and as a single skater. She began competing as a pair skater in 1992 and continued to do so until 2000.
During this time, she had two different skating partners – Andrei Krukov and Valeriy Artyukhov. With her first partner, Krukov, the two of them achieved great success, including a 14th place finish at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
This was a remarkable accomplishment, and it helped to establish Khalturina as a respected figure skater in the international community. Following the Olympics, she went on to have further success with her second partner, Valeriy Artyukhov.
Together, the two of them continued to compete on the international stage, further boosting Khalturina’s reputation as a world-class figure skater.
19. Maxine Weatherby
Maxine Weatherby is an American ice dancer who has chosen to represent Kazakhstan in her skating career. She currently skates with her partner Temirlan Yerzhanov and together they have achieved many successes.
In 2020, they became the Kazakhstani national champions and the previous year they won the bronze medal at the Denis Ten Memorial Challenge.
They also competed in the final segment of the 2020 Four Continents Championships, where they put their skills to the test and showcased their talent on the ice.
Weatherby and Yerzhanov have proven to be a successful partnership both on and off the ice, as they have achieved numerous accolades in their years of skating together.
Their dedication to the sport has allowed them to reach the highest levels of international competition, and they will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future.
Conclusion
Kazakhstan is home to some of the best skating players in the world. From the national champions to the international sensations, the country has a vibrant skating culture that is worth celebrating.
It is clear that Kazakhstan has a lot to offer in terms of skating talent, and should be proud of the many accomplishments of its athletes.
