34-year-old Asian short track champion Abzal Azhigaliyev announced his retirement from sports. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
Abzal took up the sport at the age of 10. At 17, he joined the national team. Since then, he has become champion of Kazakhstan in all distances. He was the first in the country's history to win a gold medal at the World Cup. In 2025, he became Asian champion in the relay in Harbin.
"Sport taught me not only to compete, but also what character, discipline, endurance and responsibility to the Motherland are. Along this path, I put all my efforts into raising Kazakhstan's prestige at every competition. This year I made the decision to end my career as a professional athlete. Every athlete has a moment to step to a new level. I am grateful for every moment of these years," Azhigaliyev wrote on his social media page.
In the future, Abzal plans to move into coaching and guide young athletes. His main goal is for the next generation to conquer even higher peaks. In this regard, the athlete expressed sincere gratitude to his family, coaches, doctors and all who worked with him.
"Thank you to every fan who shared both my joys and defeats. Your faith and support always gave me special strength. I ask you to continue supporting our team and not forget short track. And my mission in sports is not over. It will just continue at a new level," says Azhigaliyev.