Kazakhstan Wins Second Gold Medal at 2024 Paralympic Games

Kazakhstan has secured its second gold medal at the 17th Summer Paralympic Games in Paris. Para judoka Akmaral Nauatbek made history for her country by winning the women’s 48 kg J2 final on Thursday, defeating France's Sandrine Martinet with an impressive ippon.

The match saw Nauatbek take control early on. At the 48th second, she performed a skillful uchi-mata-gaeshi, a countermove that earned her a waza-ari. Then, at the third minute, she executed a sankaku-jime, a chokehold move, securing a second waza-ari. This resulted in the fight being called in her favor, as she was awarded an ippon, bringing the final score to 10:0.

With this victory, Akmaral Nauatbek not only claimed gold but also became Kazakhstan's first-ever Paralympic champion in judo.

Kazakhstan now sits in 39th place in the overall medal standings, with two gold, three silver, and four bronze medals. Earlier in the competition, Kazakh powerlifter David Degtyarev clinched a gold medal in the men’s 54 kg para powerlifting event.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which kicked off on August 28th, will continue until September 8th. The event features around 4,400 athletes from across the globe, competing in 22 different sports at some of Paris' most famous landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, the Chateau de Versailles, and the Grand Palais.