Aktobe hosted the traditional Republican Greco-Roman Wrestling Tournament for athletes under the age of 23, dedicated to the memory of Yesenkeldy Batyrgarin, an International-class Master of Sport, World Cup winner, All-Union Universiade champion and winner of the 10th Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR.
A total of 125 athletes representing 16 teams from 13 regions of Kazakhstan competed for medals across ten weight categories.
The tournament is one of the qualifying events for the U23 World Championships, which will be held in Las Vegas, United States. Therefore, each bout provided the wrestlers with an important opportunity to prove themselves in the competition for a place on the team for the international event.
The opening ceremony was attended by Olympic and world champion, two-time Asian champion and Asian Games winner Yuriy Melnichenko; head coach of the Kazakhstan national Greco-Roman wrestling team Konysbek Tokenov; and multiple-time Kazakhstan champion, Asian champion, and World Championships silver and bronze medallist Almat Kebispayev. The distinguished guests wished the young wrestlers success in the competition.
The traditional tournament in memory of Yesenkeldy Batyrgarin remains an important event that enables young wrestlers to gain competitive experience, improve their sporting skills and strengthen the reserve of the national team.
