Nine Medals in Macau

Three gold, three silver, three bronze — and an all-Kazakh final that says as much about the depth of the programme as the podium does.

Kazakhstan’s junior judo team delivered an impressive performance at the Macau Junior Asian Cup 2026, collecting nine medals — three gold, three silver and three bronze. The results underline the depth of Kazakhstan’s emerging judo talent and provide another strong indication of the country’s growing presence in Asian junior competition. The tournament was held in Macau in July 2026 and brought together 181 competitors from 15 countries across four continents, including 124 men and 57 women. Kazakhstan was among the leading delegations, with its athletes reaching the podium in several weight categories. The International Judo Federation’s official results confirm Kazakhstan’s nine podium finishes, including victories for Yerkhan Murat, Nurlan Isataev and Arkhat Otegen.

Three Gold Medals Lead Kazakhstan’s Campaign

Kazakhstan’s strongest results came from three young athletes who captured gold in their respective divisions. Yerkhan Murat won the men’s under-60kg category, defeating compatriot Abylay Almabek in the final. The all-Kazakh final demonstrated the strength of the country’s talent in one of the lighter men’s divisions. In the under-66kg category, Nurlan Isataev secured Kazakhstan’s second gold medal. His victory added another championship result to Kazakhstan’s successful campaign and highlighted the country’s competitiveness in the middle- lightweight divisions. The third gold came from Arkhat Otegen, who triumphed in the under-90kg category. Otegen’s victory was particularly notable because Kazakhstan occupied multiple podium positions in the division, with Alisher Slyamzhanov taking silver and Ali Tursynbek earning bronze. Together, the three champions accounted for all of Kazakhstan’s gold medals at the Macau tournament.

Three Silver Medals Add to the Podium Success

Kazakhstan also produced three runners-up. Abylay Almabek took silver in the men’s under-60kg category after reaching the final against Murat. His performance meant that Kazakhstan claimed both gold and silver in the division. Alisher Slyamzhanov finished second in the under-90kg category, joining Otegen on the podium after an all-Kazakh final. The result gave Kazakhstan another one-two finish in the competition. In the women’s over-78kg division, Aiymzada Dumankyzy won silver. She advanced to the final before finishing behind South Korea’s Lee Seungjin. The result gave Kazakhstan a podium presence in the women’s heavyweight category.

“An all-Kazakh final in the under-60kg category — the clearest possible sign of a system, not a single talent.”

Three Bronze Medals Complete the Collection

The Kazakh delegation added three bronze medals to complete its nine-medal total. Zhanadil Abay won bronze in the men’s under-60kg category, giving Kazakhstan three medals in the division. With Murat taking gold and Almabek silver, the category became one of the strongest areas of Kazakhstan’s campaign. Anissa Ibatolla earned bronze in the women’s under-70kg category. Her result provided Kazakhstan with another women’s podium finish. The third bronze went to Ali Tursynbek in the men’s under-90kg division. His medal contributed to an exceptional showing for Kazakhstan in the category, where the country collected gold, silver and bronze.

A Particularly Strong Performance in the 60kg & 90kg Divisions

The Macau results were notable for the concentration of Kazakh athletes on individual podiums. The men’s under-60kg category produced a complete Kazakh one-two result, with Murat winning gold and Almabek taking silver, while Abay added bronze. Similarly, the under-90kg division featured three Kazakh athletes among the medal winners: Otegen took gold, Slyamzhanov silver and Tursynbek bronze. These results point to considerable depth within Kazakhstan’s junior programme rather than success being limited to a small number of individual athletes. The official competition results also show that Kazakhstan had athletes finishing just outside the podium. Adilbek Birzhanov placed fifth in the under-90kg category, while Dias Ikhsanov and Abilmansur Serikbay also finished fifth in the under-73kg and under-81kg categories respectively.

Building Momentum Through the Asian Junior Circuit

The Macau tournament formed part of a busy period for Kazakhstan’s junior judokas. Earlier in July, Kazakh athletes had also achieved strong results at the Hong Kong Junior Asian Cup, where Arkhat Otegen again won the under-90kg category. Alikhan Aitkazy took gold in the under-73kg division and Shynggys Yerzhanuly won the over- 100kg category, while Zhalgas Kunesbayev claimed silver in the under-66kg division. Kazakhstan had also hosted the Almaty Asian Junior Cup in June, where its athletes recorded a substantial number of podium finishes. The International Judo Federation’s results list multiple Kazakh gold, silver and bronze medalists from that event. The sequence of results demonstrates the breadth of Kazakhstan’s participation in the Asian junior circuit and the consistency of its athletes across different weight categories.

A Positive Sign for Kazakhstan’s Next Generation

The nine-medal performance in Macau represents more than a successful weekend of competition. It highlights a promising generation of Kazakh judokas developing through international-level junior tournaments. The combination of three champions, three runners-up and three bronze medallists also demonstrates Kazakhstan’s ability to compete across both men’s and women’s divisions. The strongest concentration came in the men’s under-60kg and under-90kg categories, while Dumankyzy and Ibatolla ensured representation among the women’s medal winners. With junior athletes gaining experience against competitors from across Asia and beyond, competitions such as the Macau Junior Asian Cup provide an important platform for their development. Continued performances at this level could help several of these athletes progress toward senior international competition in the coming years. Kazakhstan’s three gold, three silver and three bronze medals in Macau therefore mark another encouraging chapter for the country’s junior judo programme, with the results showcasing both individual champions and the wider depth of its emerging talent.