In 2024, the whole world witnessed an amazing story filled with courage and overcoming challenges when 28-year-old Kyrgyz boxer Munarbek Seyitbek Uulu advanced to the finals of the Olympic Games in Paris. Despite all obstacles and skepticism, he managed to reach heights that seemed impossible.
For Munarbek, this was his first Olympics, and the journey was not easy. He qualified for the games only on his second attempt in June 2024, which was an achievement in itself. However, officials in Kyrgyzstan did not believe in his success, even though he was the first Kyrgyz boxer to win medals at the World Championships and was named the country's best athlete last year. Expectations were more associated with wrestlers rather than boxers.
Munarbek went to the Olympics without his personal coach, Beganas Sultanbayev, who had trained him since he was eight years old. Officials explained the absence of the coach by saying that the accreditation ended before Munarbek qualified for the Olympics. A video of his coach anxiously watching his student on a TV screen went viral and raised questions about the priorities of the officials, who themselves went to Paris.
They had so little faith in him that they bought a return ticket for the day after the quarterfinals in advance, not expecting him to reach the semifinals. In the absence of a personal coach and second, the role of the latter was taken by Uzbek coach Akmal Khasanov, who agreed to help based on friendly relations between the two countries.
The path to the Olympics began with the first qualifying tournament in Italy in March 2024, where Munarbek was eliminated in the first fight, losing to Brazilian Luis Oliveira. However, the second attempt in Bangkok was successful. Munarbek defeated Italian Michele Baldassi, then Mozambican Armando Sigauque, Uruguayan Lucas Fernandez, and Azerbaijani Shamil Askerov. After losing to Aider Abduraimov from Ukraine, he defeated Indian Sachin Siwach 5:0, earning a ticket to Paris.
At the Olympics, Munarbek demonstrated his best qualities. In his debut fight, he defeated Cuban Saider Rodriguez, and in the quarterfinals, he beat Jamal Harvey from the USA, securing a place in the semifinals. There, he faced Javier Ibanez from Bulgaria and won again.
The final will be a special test for Munarbek. He must fight a boxer from Uzbekistan with whom he trained in preparation for the Olympics. Coach Khasanov, who helped him reach the final, will be on the other side of the ring. In this situation, Munarbek will have to find a new second.
2024 Olympic Games Boxing Final, 57 kg:
Munarbek Seyitbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) - Abdumalik Khalokov (Uzbekistan) | August 10