The head coach of the women’s freestyle wrestling team of Kyrgyzstan, Baigazy Kenzhebaev, commented on the performance of the 2024 silver medalist Meerim Zhumanazarova at the Paris Olympics.
On August 6, she took second place in the 68-kilogram weight category, losing in the final to the U.S. athlete Amit Elor.
«Meerim wrestled well, taking into account her injury. She reached the final thanks to her stubbornness. We made a tactical mistake in the final. Meerim’s silver medal was very hard for us. She wrestled very well. If we had done the surgery, she would not have been able to participate. Some thought that Meerim would not be able to wrestle. But she did, she reached the final. This is sport. There are ups and downs. Meerim did not even have a start. She wanted to treat her previously injured arm, and even refused to participate in the last two tournaments. She did not compete after the Asian Championship. This is sport — there are winners and losers,» Baigazy Kenzhebaev said. According to him, Meerim Zhumanazarova performed very well in four fights, both technically, tactically and psychologically.
Meerim Zhumanazarova is the first athlete in the history of Kyrgyzstan to become a two-time Olympic medalist. She won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
