One such athlete is 16-year-old Maxim Konyukhov, who, while practicing alpine skiing, has won numerous medals at various competitions.
Maxim was born on June 17, 2010, in Karakol. In 2016, he enrolled in the preparatory class of school No. 6 named after Anton Chekhov. However, due to the transition to studying in the second shift, he had to transfer to the school named after Baisara uulu Kydyr ake, where he continues his studies and is currently in the 9th grade.
Maxim's family consists of seven members, and they are all very close. His mother, Elena Vladimirovna, and father, Nikita Ivanovich, raise him and his brothers and sister. His older brother Denis also practices alpine skiing and has significant achievements, including participation in international competitions in Kazakhstan, South Korea, and China, as well as in the "Children of Asia" winter games in Russia. It was his successes that inspired Maxim from an early age.
“My skiing career began in 2014 when I was just 4 years old. I came with my mom to watch my brother's training, and the coach suggested I give it a try. In 2015, at the age of 5, I first got on skis and immediately fell in love with this sport,” Maxim shares.
From that moment on, he actively began to engage in alpine skiing and realized that this was exactly what he needed.
“Alpine skiing is a combination of speed, technique, adrenaline, and character. This sport requires complete dedication, and that’s what attracts me,” he says.
At the beginning of his journey, Maxim could rely on the support of his parents and older brother, and later coaches and teammates joined them.
Maxim's first competitions took place in 2017. He recalls feeling both fear and admiration towards more experienced athletes.
“I remember that I fell on the course that time, but I got up and made it to the finish line, taking first place. That was the moment I decided I wanted to continue,” he added.
Currently, Maxim trains five days a week: for the past two years, he has spent three days in the gym and three days on the slopes. In his opinion, a skier's preparation includes not only physical strength but also psychological resilience.
“Sometimes the mental strain turns out to be even heavier than the physical load,” he admits.
The athlete has faced difficult periods when he placed fourth for two consecutive years and began to doubt his abilities. However, thanks to perseverance and hard work, he was able to overcome this phase, and his results began to improve again.
At the moment, Maxim can boast:
* 12 first places
* 7 second places
* 6 third places.
“I am especially proud of the two first places at competitions in Kazakhstan, as the competitors were very strong. It was a different country and a different course, but I was able to show myself and meet the expectations of my loved ones, especially my family,” he shares.
Although Maxim does not have a specific sports idol, he admires the skiing technique of Swiss skier Marco Odermatt.
“I admire his stability, powerful technique, and ability to perform successfully in different disciplines — from giant slalom to speed races,” noted the Kyrgyzstani.
Bright moments for Maxim are associated with out-of-town competitions, where he felt the atmosphere of support and team unity. That’s when he realized how much he loves alpine skiing.
In the future, he has set an ambitious goal — to join the national team of Kyrgyzstan to represent his country at international competitions.
“It is a great honor and responsibility for me to defend the sporting honor of my homeland and to start under its flag. I want to feel pride for my country and know that I have the support of my coaches, family, and all of Kyrgyzstan,” he concluded.
Despite his young age, Maxim understands that behind every success lie years of hard work and belief in oneself.
Addressing beginner skiers, he gives a simple yet important piece of advice: “If you want to pursue this sport professionally, don’t be afraid and give yourself fully to it. Only then will you be able to achieve success.”
