Life in the Regions: Chui Veteran Runner Duyshonaly Arzymatov, Who Trained with Olympians, Still Wins "Gold" at Marathons

Наталья Маркова Exclusive
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Duyshonaly Arzymatov, an outstanding 72-year-old marathon runner from the village of Chon-Aryk (now Seydaly) in the Moscow district of Chui region, continues to actively participate in international competitions and achieve success in long-distance running.

In an interview with a Turmush correspondent, he shared memories of his childhood in Chon-Aryk.

“I received my education at a local school. My older brother Zhekshenaaly was always dedicated to sports, did not smoke or drink. He was passionate about football and introduced us to sports from a very young age. My interest in athletics began when I moved to Jalal-Abad after the 10th grade. At that time, the youth of this city actively engaged in athletics and participated in competitions. It was in 1972 when I first started my journey in this sport,” he said.

After finishing school, Duyshonaly was drafted into the army, where he served in a sports company. He became the winner of a race among his fellow soldiers and participated in competitions of various levels, including winning a tournament that gathered athletes from all over Central Asia. He then joined a team in Moscow.

“My training was under the guidance of Viktor Fedorovich Barisov, who prepared the national team of Kyrgyzstan. I had the opportunity to train alongside well-known athletes like Stankul Jumanaazarov, a bronze medalist at the Olympic Games,” he added.

Throughout his career, starting from the Soviet era, Duyshonaly participated in various competitions and marathons, always placing highly. He is particularly proud of his achievement in Krasnoyarsk, where in 1978 he ran 10 kilometers in 30 minutes and 14 seconds.

“Since 2015, I have regularly participated in international competitions at Issyk-Kul and have become a champion. I have also competed in countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey, where I also took first places. I was very happy when I was awarded the title of Master of Sports of the KR,” noted Arzymatov.

Currently, he works as a teacher at the Academy of Physical Culture and Sports of Kyrgyzstan.

“In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, playing the guitar, komuz, and dombra. I also experiment with composing melodies, although I have not yet shared them with the public. I participate in musical evenings and festivals. If there is an opportunity, I love playing football,” he shared.

Duyshonaly is raising two sons and one daughter, and he also has six grandchildren.

“Both of my sons serve in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one is a major, the other is a captain. All my grandchildren are studying and receiving an education,” he added.
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