On June 26, at the Kazakhstan Athletics Cup held in Almaty Region, the men’s long jump event stood out thanks to its dramatic storyline.
n the opening round, Romeo Petrov from North Kazakhstan Region took the lead. By the third attempt, Georgiy Li from Karaganda Region moved ahead — but not for long. In the fourth round, Almaty’s Ayan Zhanbakiev and Romeo Petrov both improved their marks, with Petrov reclaiming the lead.
The fifth round brought no changes among the top three. Petrov remained in first, Zhanbakiev held second, and Li was third.
But the sixth and final attempt reshuffled the standings once more. In his last jump, Georgiy Li delivered a big leap of 6.95 metres, clinching the Kazakhstan Cup title. Ayan Zhanbakiev also managed to improve on his final jump, reaching 6.84 metres and pushing Romeo Petrov down to third. Petrov’s best mark of 6.72 had come in the fourth round.
The results by the winner and runner-up met the first-class standard, while the bronze medallist’s mark corresponded to the second-class level.
Indeed, challenging weather conditions are nothing new at the Olympic Training Centre stadium, now the venue for national athletics competitions. Yet even without rain and wind, Kazakhstani long jumpers continue to fall short of the Master of Sport benchmark.
June 26, 2025 – Kazakhstan Cup – Men’s Long Jump
- Georgiy Li (Karaganda Region) – 6.95 metres
- Ayan Zhanbakiev (Almaty) – 6.84
- Romeo Petrov (North Kazakhstan Region) – 6.72
In the photo: Georgiy Li – Kazakhstan Cup champion.
