OMM Redaksiyası
Established in 2014 and held every two years, the World Nomad Games were organized this year in Kyrgyzstan, where the event was founded. Traditional sports remain widely popular in the mountainous Central Asian country.
The VI World Nomad Games were held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6. According to organizers, more than 3,000 athletes from over 100 countries took part. The program included horseback archery, tug-of-war, wrestling, falconry and traditional board games.
Kyrgyzstan tops medal table
According to the final results, Pakistan won four bronze medals, while Kazakhstan claimed 74 medals in total. In the medal table published by the organizers, Kyrgyzstan finished first with 30 gold medals.
The opening ceremony was held in the capital, Bishkek. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended. The leaders were in Bishkek for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Athletes from Western countries also take part
Among the participants was British horseback archer Becca Switman, who lives in London. She said she became interested in the sport about eight years ago after a friend suggested it and had competed for the British team ever since.
London-based consultant Sam Pollard traveled to Kyrgyzstan as a member of Britain’s tug-of-war team. He said he learned about nomadic sports through YouTube videos and was particularly interested in kok-boru, a polo-like game played with a sheep carcass instead of a ball.
Pollard described his first impression of the competition by saying, “It looks spectacular.” He said the games coincided with his plans to travel to Central Asia and that the team members had some experience in tug-of-war.
“Olympic Games for ethnosports”
Alongside athletes from Mongolia and Central Asian republics, where nomadic traditions remain strong, representatives of countries without the same historical heritage also took part in the competitions.
Uzbek horseback archer Mumina Daminova competed in traditional white clothing. She said the World Nomad Games preserve the spirit of nomadic culture and compared them to the “Olympic Games for ethnosports.”
The World Nomad Games were created to promote and preserve traditional sports and cultural heritage linked to nomadic civilizations. Since their launch in Kyrgyzstan, the event has attracted participants from across Asia, Europe and other regions.
