The athletics team from North Kazakhstan Region will be small at the VI Youth Games. In fact, only two female athletes will represent the region in the women's events.
The athletics competitions at the VI Republican Youth Games will take place from June 19 to 21 in Almaty Region, at the stadium of the Olympic Regional Center. Since June 9, the North Kazakhstan athletes have been training in Almaty to prepare for the competition. The team consists of 11 members:
Adiyar Kamelev — 400 m, 4×400 m relay;
Alexander Bektasov — 400 m, 4×400 m relay;
Andrey Chernikov — 400 m, 400 m hurdles, 4×400 m relay;
Kirill Subbotin — 800 m, 4×400 m relay;
Nikita Izotov — 800 m, 1500 m;
Mikhail Cherezov — 400 m hurdles, 4×400 m relay;
Yegor Yesenin — shot put, discus throw;
Arsen Umerzhanov — triple jump;
Romeo Petrov — triple jump, long jump;
Darya Zadorina — discus throw, javelin throw;
Antonina Chernyshova — long jump, 100 m hurdles.
As a result, the women will compete in just four events, while the men will participate in nine, which is less than half of the full competition program.
The core strength of the North Kazakhstan team lies in those athletes who have already claimed medals not only at youth but also at senior national competitions. In February, at the main event of the winter season—the 34th National Indoor Championships—Nikita Izotov won gold in the 800 meters, and Kirill Subbotin took bronze. Antonina Chernyshova finished third in the 60-meter hurdles.
At the National U23 Indoor Championships, Romeo Petrov won silver in the long jump, while Arsen Umerzhanov placed second in the triple jump.
Seventeen-year-old Adiyar Kamelev has also earned the opportunity to compete at the VI Summer Youth Games. In May, at the Kazakhstan Junior Championships, he claimed a bronze medal in the 200 meters.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Antonina Chernyshova was included in Kazakhstan's senior national team and competed at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. She ran the 100-meter hurdles there. Although she did not reach the final, she came away with positive emotions, setting a personal best of 14.17 seconds.
Naturally, each region’s success at the Youth Games will be measured by the number of medals won. However, for Kazakh athletics as a whole, the primary focus remains on performance levels. These Games serve as a test to reveal who can handle the competition and fight successfully not only for their region but also for the country—provided, of course, that the current environment allows these talents to flourish and realize their full potential.
In the photo: Arsen Umerzhanov
