Kazakhstan Dominates Deaflympic Judo, Climbs Global Rankings in Tokyo

Kazakhstan has delivered an outstanding performance at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, rising to ninth place in the global medal standings and showcasing exceptional strength in deaf judo.

The 25th Summer Deaflympics officially wrapped up in Tokyo, Japan, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.

Held from November 15 to 26, the 25th Summer Deaflympics brought together around 3,000 athletes from 81 countries, competing for medals in 209 events across 21 sports. Kazakhstan’s delegation included 78 athletes who took part in eight sports.

The closing ceremony took place at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, attended by distinguished guests including Princess Kako of Akishino, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, and International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) President Ádám Kósa.

During the Parade of Nations, Kazakhstan’s flag was carried by Nursultan Kuldeyev, bronze medalist in athletics, and national swimming team member Mariya Sotnikova.

ICSD President Ádám Kósa officially declared the Games closed, thanking athletes for their dedication and performances.

Kazakhstan Finishes 9th With Eight Gold Medals

Kazakhstan delivered one of its strongest performances yet, securing:

8 gold

4 silver

13 bronze

This results placed the country ninth overall among 81 competing nations.

Judo Leads the Medal Count

The standout discipline for Kazakhstan was deaf judo, where athletes claimed 11 medals - 5 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze.

Freestyle wrestlers added 1 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze, while the Greco-Roman team brought home 1 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze.

In athletics, Kazakhstan earned one gold and one bronze, with Faina Meirmanova setting a new Deaflympic record in the high jump at 1.79 meters.

Kazakh athletes also picked up:

3 bronze medals in kyorugi

Bronze in men’s team table tennis

A Growing Success Story

“Deaflympic sports in Kazakhstan are developing rapidly, and our athletes continue to reach new heights,” said Nurlan Yessembayev, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Sports and Physical Culture.

He noted Kazakhstan’s remarkable progress at the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil, the team finished 13th with four gold medals, while this year they climbed to ninth place with double the gold count.

“We will continue supporting our athletes to help them achieve even greater results,” Yessembayev added.