“Shock therapy” from Viktoria Sukacheva and a decisive finish by Ayana Bolatbekkyzy were the key storylines in the women’s 1500 metres on Day One of the Kazakhstan Athletics Championships.
The medals in the women’s 1500m were contested on July 10 — the opening day of the national championships held at the Olympic Training Centre stadium, located about 20 kilometers from Almaty.
For the first two laps, all eyes in the stadium were on 19-year-old Viktoria Sukacheva from Almaty. Right from the start, she pulled away from the field, and surprisingly, no one seemed to chase her. By the midway point of the second lap, she had built a lead of at least 200 meters — half the length of a standard track oval! But just as shocking as her early surge was her sudden decision to stop. It turned out this was all part of the plan — Sukacheva later explained she had only intended to run 800 meters as a tune-up ahead of the 800m final scheduled for July 12.
Meanwhile, the rest of the pack completed the second lap closely grouped. Then, during the third lap, 18-year-old Ayana Bolatbekkyzy from Zhetysu Region broke away and ran solo to the finish, holding her own pace unchallenged. The lack of pressure may have influenced her final time — 4:38.80 — which meets the first-class qualification standard. The other two medalists, Akbilek Kuralbai from Shymkent and Viktoria Senkina from Astana, also met the standard.
July 10, 2025 – Kazakhstan Athletics Championships. Women’s 1500m Final.
- Ayana Bolatbekkyzy (Zhetysu Region) – 4:38.80
- Akbilek Kuralbai (Shymkent) – 4:44.24
- Viktoria Senkina (Astana) – 4:44.68
In the photo: July 10. Women’s 1500m race. Ayana Bolatbekkyzy in the lead. Photo by Konstantin Knyazevich.
