In Kyrgyzstan, there are over 218,000 people with disabilities, yet only a few find their place in sports. The country's Paralympians, including powerlifters and track athletes, overcome difficulties, stereotypes, and hardships every day, demonstrating that disability is not a barrier to achieving high results. Their inspiring stories of spirit and perseverance serve as examples not only for young athletes but for the entire nation.
Toktorbek Aydyraliev, president of the Kyrgyz National Paralympic Committee and a master of sports in powerlifting and arm wrestling, shared with a journalist from 24.kg his experience working with young people with disabilities and how coaches strive to engage them in sports, sometimes literally pulling them out of their homes.
The origins of the Paralympic movement in Kyrgyzstan
“The Paralympic Committee was founded in Kyrgyzstan in 1994 under the name of the Federation of Sports for the Disabled, although our athletes began competing back in Soviet times. At that time, only one sport was developing — para powerlifting, and we trained in gyms alongside regular athletes,” recalls Toktorbek.
By 2008, only this sport was developing in the country, and athletes achieved impressive results at championships, becoming pioneers of parasports. Roman Omurbekov, a participant in five Paralympic Games, became one of the best representatives of the Paralympic movement.
In 2015, the development of cycling parasports and athletics for people with disabilities began, including running for the blind and visually impaired, shot put, javelin, and discus throw.
“There was a shortage of coaches, and we had to train athlete Arstanbek Bazarkulov using video lessons from YouTube. Thanks to his perseverance, he became a world champion, winning the grand prix in shot put and discus. At first, we didn't even have a metal shot put, and we trained him with stones, selecting a suitable weight of 4 kg,” recalls Toktorbek.
Athletes in Bishkek are forced to look for training venues outside the city; in particular, they train at the Kant sports school, which has a sand sector. They have to travel there every other day, as shot put is prohibited at the capital's stadium — it damages the lawn.
According to Toktorbek, training almost stops in winter.
Overcoming difficulties on the way to the international arena
In 2020, judo for parasports athletes was introduced in Kyrgyzstan, and a visually impaired athlete participated in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Although she lost in the first minute, it became a powerful motivation for her. Over the year, the girl trained hard and became a world champion.
“Paralympic sports are developing gradually here. Women in wrestling show excellent results, and taekwondo athletes, mostly young people with amputated arms, are also demonstrating good success,” notes Toktorbek.
The country faces a shortage of sports doctors, and without a clear classification of athletes' disabilities, they are often not allowed to participate in international competitions due to errors in documentation.
According to Toktorbek, over the past five to six years, the government has begun to pay more attention to parasports athletes regarding awards, business trips, funding, and participation in competitions.
“Unfortunately, there is no centralized database. There are people who want to engage in sports but live far away. They are not Olympians who can just take a minibus and leave. They need a dormitory and a training hall nearby,” he adds.
Educational barriers for sports veterans
Toktorbek also raised an important issue that many athletes who have trained for 20 years and ended their careers cannot become coaches because they do not have the opportunity to receive specialized education. There are no relevant faculties in the country's universities.
“I wanted to enroll in our Institute of Physical Culture, but the exams and standards are only for healthy people,” he says.
Athletes with disabilities are true gems who create conditions for themselves independently. Despite all the difficulties, they strive for victory. The lack of equipment and facilities does not stop them — they do everything themselves.
“Sports is my whole life!”
For Toktorbek, sports is not just a hobby, but his entire life. “I have been walking on crutches for 40 years. In childhood, I contracted polio; the vaccination was given too late. They say one in a thousand children suffers from this disease. I was that one,” he shares.
At two years old, after the illness, Toktorbek's legs failed. His parents did everything possible to help him. By the age of five, one leg began to move.
At six, Toktorbek was sent to a boarding school, and during vacations, he underwent rehabilitation in health facilities. His parents hardly saw their son, and in the 3rd or 4th grade, he refused to continue his education and decided to return to his native village. After spending a year at home, his parents sent him back to a regular school, where he studied on crutches.
“After the ninth grade, I became the main breadwinner in the family, as my father passed away. I worked wherever I could, and then I met some guys who introduced me to powerlifting. This coincided with my teenage years when I wanted to socialize with girls. I began to wonder if I would have a family?” recalls the master of sports.
How the barbell helped in love and family
Toktorbek always felt shy about meeting and communicating with girls. However, sports changed his life, giving him confidence. He became a ten-time champion of the republic and did not lose for 10 years.
His father told him to find a girl with a disability, but Toktorbek dreamed of a beautiful and healthy one so they could have children.
At 25, he married a beautiful pharmacist.
“At that time, we had financial problems: my mother was diagnosed with diabetes, and medications were needed. I came to the pharmacy where my future wife worked and asked to lend me some medications. She didn’t refuse, and I immediately paid her back as soon as I earned. That’s how we met; we have been living together for 20 years now and raising five children. Recently, I became a grandfather,” he shares.
Second chance: from begging to championship
The president of the committee also shared the story of one athlete: “At the ‘Dordoy’ market, our guys met a young man with a disability who was begging. He avoided communication for a long time, accustomed to the cruelty of those around him. He has only three years of education. However, after starting training, his life changed: today he is a champion, built his own house, and left the past behind as a ‘bad dream.’
Besides his work in the Paralympic movement, Toktorbek works as a taxi driver in his free time. If he sees young people with disabilities, he tries to support them and invites them to sports, introducing them to coaches.
“Even my wife, when she is driving and sees a potential athlete with a disability, asks me to stop, and we invite them to join us,” adds Toktorbek.
Overcoming doubts
Mirgul Bolotalieva, a participant in the Paralympics in Paris with a group II disability, suffered from paralysis of both legs due to polio in childhood.
“My fellow athletes have long urged me to take up powerlifting, but I thought it was not quite a suitable sport for women, so I refused for 10 years. However, during the coronavirus pandemic, I decided that sports mean health,” she shares.
At first, Mirgul trained cautiously, thinking that broad shoulders and strong arms were not suitable for women. But after participating in international competitions, she realized that it was cool and interesting.
“Sports is an important part of my life, its value. It gives motivation and discipline, strengthens character,” notes the athlete.
She also added that Paralympic sports are gradually becoming as popular as Olympic sports and are starting to develop in all countries, including Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, many people with disabilities still do not know about parasports and are forced to live in isolation.
Strength of spirit and perseverance
Esен Kaliyev suffers from cerebral palsy and began engaging in sports at a young age, seeing the meaning of life only in it for over 20 years. He is a deserved master of sports of international class and a coach.
“You shouldn’t sit at home and mourn your disability. Don’t be lazy, move forward. This is your life. I myself don’t complain about anything; I have everything for happiness: family and children. I’m glad that I engage in sports myself and involve others,” he adds.
Sports is a calling
Alexander Prokopov, an arm wrestling coach and multiple Asian championship medalist, despite his diagnosis of “cerebral palsy,” teaches children and engages them in sports. He believes that for sports to become a life’s work, there must be an inner desire, and for that, it’s enough just to come and watch how others train.
“I came to arm wrestling and powerlifting at 25, found a children’s sports school that accepted me and taught me. Sports became my life,” he concludes.
Paralympic sports in Kyrgyzstan continue to develop, but still need infrastructure, specialized halls, and qualified specialists. Despite this, athletes and coaches continue to demonstrate examples of strength, determination, and discipline — some find confidence and family, others discover a new meaning in life, and some turn their experiences into opportunities for future generations.
