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Nineteen-year-old Kazakhstani speed skater Kristina Shumekova has achieved a historic milestone, securing five gold medals at the World Junior Championships held in Inzell, Germany. This remarkable feat makes her the first athlete in Kazakhstan's history to reach such a high level of success at this competition.

Dominating the Junior World Championships

Shumekova's exceptional performance saw her claim gold medals in the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m races. She also earned a silver medal in the 3000m event and topped the all-around competition, contributing to her team's victory in the relay. These victories signal a strong transition into senior-level speed skating.

From a Village to the World Stage

Hailing from the village of Povolozhnoye in the North Kazakhstan region, Shumekova's journey began with her mother, a physical education teacher and speed skating coach. Inspired by her older sister Inessa's participation in city competitions, Kristina and her twin sister Alina joined a sports school in Petropavlovsk.

A Family Affair on Ice

Kristina's sisters, Inessa and Alina, are also members of the Kazakhstan national team. The athlete notes that this family rivalry positively impacts their performance, fostering mutual support and knowledge sharing during training.

Training Abroad and Future Aspirations

The Kazakhstani team often trains at specialized facilities like the one in Inzell, Germany. Shumekova highlighted the lack of suitable ice arenas for summer training in Kazakhstan as a key reason for seeking international bases, which offer better ice quality and high-altitude training conditions.

While she had the opportunity to compete in the Olympics, Shumekova prioritized the junior championships. She views the Olympics as every athlete's dream but believes in timing her participation. She plans to contend for medals at the next Olympic Games.

An Anthem Mishap and Recognition

A notable incident occurred during the awards ceremony for her first gold medal when organizers mistakenly played an outdated version of the Kazakh national anthem, which had not been in use since 2006. Although initially disappointed, Shumekova was pleased when the organizers acknowledged their error and played the correct anthem subsequently. She humorously remarked that the incident ensured everyone would remember the correct anthem.

Following her historic wins, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev awarded Shumekova the Order of "Parasat" in recognition of her achievements. While there are no specific legal bonuses for junior world championship wins, state financial support is provided.

This story was reported by Infohub.kz.