Kazakhstan's national kokpar team
is intensively training in the Almaty region ahead of the fifth World Nomad
Games. Athletes have been honing their skills for the second month. 12 riders
in two teams competing in kokpar and kok boru will represent Kazakhstan at the
games. It is worth reminding that the gates in kokpar is a circle drawn on the
ground, while in kok boru, it is a kazandyk (cauldron). The final training camp
will take place in the Kazakh capital.
«We hope to secure victory in kokpar. We
are currently having another training camp, where we will focus on working with
the horses,» said Akylbai Mankeyev, head coach of the team.
«The two types differ from each other by the
number of halves. Kok boru has three halves, while kokpar has two. We
can play each of them, whether it’s the circle or the cauldron. The horses and
the team are in very good shape,» shared Nauryzbai Kaltayev, member of the
team.
«Our team’s goal is to become the best players,
win the championship title, and, of course, meet the expectations of Kazakh
people and the country,» added another member Yeldar Zharylkap.
Notably, the fifth World Nomad Games, featuring
around 2,000 participants, will take place in Astana. A total of 97
medal sets will be contested across 21 sports.
