Kazakhstan sets golden record at Asian Games

ASTANA. February 7. KAZINFORM /Zlikha Ibragimova/ A grand closing ceremony of the 7th Asian Winter Games held in Kazakhstan was the finishing touch of the Games which had become a success for Kazakhstan. On the threshold of this sports event 10 sports arenas were built in the country and they were highly appraised by foreign specialists and sportsmen. The competitions were of a high interest, competitiveness with a zest added by weather conditions.

The main record of the Games is 32 gold medals won by one country. Kazakhstan set record for the most gold medals won in the 7^th Asian Games. 25 years ago the record was set by Japanese sportsmen in Sapporo - 29 gold medals.

9 Asian records were broken at 'Alau' speed skating center. Moreover the speed skating competitions were of the highest level at the Games. 5 Olympic prize winners including 3 Olympic champions took part in them. 2 silver and 2 bronze medals won by Dmitry Babenko prove that our sportsmen can worthily perform at any prestigious competitions.

Ski jumper Yevgeni Levkin and speed skater Denis Kuzin, the national freestyle team, young short track and bandy teams were surprisingly good. Also those who were believed to set records or overwhelmingly prevail the opponents lived up to expectations. These sportsmen are Alexey Poltoranin, Nikolai Chebotko, Denis Ten, Yelena Khrustaleva and the national ice hockey teams.

Olga Novikova, Mikhail Sorokin, Alexey Poltoranin became four-time Asian champions. Yuliya Galysheva, Nikolai Chebotko, Lyudmila Fedotova, Dmitry Koshkin, Dmitry Barmashov, Oksana Yatskaya, Yelena Kolomina, Yelena Khrustaleva, Dmitry Babenko are repeat prizewinners of the Games.