Though often overlooked in global sports, Central Asia has produced athletes whose stories showcase extraordinary courage and endurance.
With this in mind, RFE/RL’s Central Asia services launched a project to spotlight sportsmen and women who have overcome profound challenges to achieve extraordinary things.
Using audience nominations, editorial research on public impact, and input from sports journalists, five inspiring athletes were selected.
Among them is Kazakh long-distance runner Dosmukhamed Tolegenov, who was once unable to walk or speak after a brain tumor left him bedridden for a decade.
“There were days when I told doctors I’d rather die,” he says.
But Tolegenov fought back, first taking tentative steps, then walking, and eventually running ultramarathons of up to 70 kilometers.
Kyrgyz runner Gulnaz Juzbaeva also defied the odds, becoming a Paralympic athlete after losing her eyesight.
She has since used her athletic success to champion disability rights and inspire others.
“We have to constantly prove that people like us can achieve something,” she says.
The project also highlights Russian-born Tajik judoka Somon Mahmadbekov, who won an Olympic medal for his ancestral homeland after being denied the chance to compete for Russia; exiled Turkmen Aikido master Murad Kurbanov, who rebuilt his life around martial arts and peaceful resistance; and Uzbek soccer player Abdukodir Khusanov, who made history by becoming the first Central Asian to play in England’s Premier League.
“These stories aren’t just about sport,” said Kubat Kasymbekov, managing editor of RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service who was involved in the selection process. “They’re about resilience, determination, and breaking barriers. We believe they can inspire anyone facing challenges of their own.”
