Where is everyone? On June 26, at the Kazakhstan Athletics Cup, there was no need for a bronze medal in the men’s hammer throw – the event featured only two participants.
This unusual scene unfolded at the Olympic Training Centre in Almaty Region. Both competitors represented East Kazakhstan Region.
In the end, first place went to 18-year-old Aldiyar Kairollayev with a throw of 41.20 metres – a mark below the third-class standard. However, his age is worth noting. The fact that his coaches entered him in a national-level competition like the Kazakhstan Cup suggests they see potential for future development.
The second participant, Alexey Vladimirov, is 28 years old. Yet, he too fell short of the third-class benchmark, throwing 40.72 metres. It raises the question – why include an athlete of this age and level in a regional team for a major national event like the Kazakhstan Cup? Was it just to secure a medal and team points due to the lack of other competitors?
Interestingly, back in late March, Alexey won the Winter Kazakhstan Championships in Almaty with a throw of 47.37 metres — a second-class result. So is he now not even in shape for that level?
All of this might not have drawn so much attention were it not for the medal ceremony — or rather, the beach-ready appearance of Alexey Vladimirov. He came up to receive his medal wearing brightly patterned shorts, a graphic t-shirt, and a sun hat. Apparently, this was considered acceptable at the “Shygys” sports club, which posted the image on its Instagram account. Thanks to that, this light-hearted medal moment quickly became public knowledge.
June 26 – Kazakhstan Cup in Athletics – Men’s Hammer Throw
Aldiyar Kairollayev (East Kazakhstan Region) – 41.20 metres
Alexey Vladimirov (East Kazakhstan Region) – 40.72 metres
