Kanatbek Begaliev

Kanatbek Begaliev, born on February 14, 1984, is a distinguished Kyrgyz amateur wrestler who made his mark on the international stage by winning a silver medal in the Men's Greco-Roman 66 kg category at the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing.

His journey in wrestling took a significant turn after the Athens 2004 Olympics, where he finished in eleventh place. Following this, he received an invitation to join the Kazakh national team, which he accepted, subsequently becoming a citizen of Kazakhstan. He trained diligently with the Kazakh National team, honing his skills and gaining invaluable experience.

However, it was discovered that he was not eligible to represent Kazakhstan in Olympic qualification. This led Kanat to return to his home country of Kyrgyzstan, where he successfully qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. His remarkable performance there culminated in a silver medal, a testament to his resilience and dedication.

In reflecting on his journey, Kanatbek expressed gratitude towards Kazakhstan, acknowledging the support he received from Kazakh coaches and athletes. He stated, “Sure, I am always thankful to Kazakhstan, all Kazakh coaches and athletes who believed in me and shared with me their knowledge and skills. I trained there and played with them football. Thus part of this medal belongs to Kazakhstan.”