\u201cFirst of all, I would like to emphasize the significance of Kazakhstan\u2019s show jumping team returning to the Asian Games after a 20-year absence. We had not competed at this level since 2006, so this is already a major historic step.<\/p>\n
Preparation for a tournament of this scale was made possible by the extensive and systematic work of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Olympic Committee and the Equestrian Federation of Kazakhstan. Their comprehensive support enabled us to rebuild the team and bring Kazakhstan\u2019s equestrian sport back to this high international level.<\/p>\n
To be completely realistic, we understood our capabilities from the very beginning. Tokyo\u2019s JRA Equestrian Park is an Olympic venue, while our rivals from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Japan brought some of the world\u2019s strongest riders and top-level horses. For us, the opportunity to compete side by side with recognized international athletes on the same arena was an invaluable experience and a great source of pride.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the details of our performance, I would particularly like to mention our debutants. Despite their good preparation, this was a serious psychological challenge for Ksenia Batalova and Nurila Turisbekova. The atmosphere of a major arena and the enormous responsibility of representing the country created additional pressure.<\/p>\n
In the first round, the riders did their very best, but the pressure contributed to mistakes on a technically demanding course with obstacles set at 140\u2013145 cm. Our experienced Masters of Sport, Oleg and Raisa Sokolenko, supported the team throughout, offering advice and helping their teammates cope with the pressure. They demonstrated true team spirit.<\/p>\n
In the second round, the riders continued to fight and gave everything they had. However, with such a competitive field and under the Asian Games regulations, the team concluded its participation at this stage. This is sport, and at this level, every second and every rail can make a major difference.<\/p>\n
We do not view this as a failure. On the contrary, this tournament has given us an important strategic benchmark. We have clearly identified what we need to learn from the world\u2019s leading teams and what specific steps we need to take next.<\/p>\n
We now understand how to adjust our training process, strengthen the technical aspects of jumping and improve the tactical preparation of our horse-and-rider combinations. We have excellent horses, and our riders are highly motivated. What we need is regular participation in major international competitions of this level in order to gain experience and develop the standards required to compete internationally.\u201d","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Azamat Khassenov, senior coach of the national show jumping team at the Directorate for Sports Development, commented on the results of the team competition at the Asian Games in Tokyo. He provided a detailed assessment of the Kazakhstani riders\u2019 performance and emphasized that returning to this level after a 20-year absence was itself a unique …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n