The first set of medals has been awarded at the Asian Games in Japan, and triathlete Arlan Zhanabay brought Kazakhstan its first medal, claiming bronze, according to infohub.kz.
The Kazakh athlete completed the course in 53 minutes 11 seconds: a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride, and a 5-kilometer run. He finished just 15 seconds behind champion Takumi Hojo of Japan, who posted 52.56. Silver went to China's Zhang Xuyu with a time of 53.05.
Zhanabay's teammate on the Kazakhstan national team, Ayan Beisenbayev, finished ninth with a time of 54.56. Thirty-three athletes started the triathlon, and 29 reached the finish line.
Over the entire history of the Asian Games, Kazakhstan has won six medals in triathlon. The only gold — at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha — was won by Dmitry Gaag. Beisenbayev was runner-up in 2018 and took third place at the 2022 Asian Games.
The 20th Summer Asian Games in Japan officially opened yesterday, September 19. The multi-sport event, featuring athletes from 45 countries, will award 460 sets of medals: 217 in men's events, 204 in women's events, and 39 in mixed events. Competitions will be held in 68 disciplines across 41 sports. Kazakhstan's team at the 2026 Asian Games will include 559 athletes.