Yerbol Khamitov wins Kazakhstan’s first gold at the Paralympics
Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan’s para biathlete Yerbol Khamitov won the pursuit race at the Paralympic Games in Italy.
After the sprint, which serves as a qualifier for the pursuit race, Khamitov was in first place, leading his closest competitor by 10 seconds, but he did not start as the leader due to the difference in athlete categories.
By the first shooting stage, Khamitov had moved into first place, hit all his targets, and continued leading.
In the second shooting stage, Khamitov missed once, but his competitors were also inaccurate, allowing him to finish with a 20-second lead.
In the end, Khamitov secured the gold medal for Kazakhstan.
This medal in para biathlon was Khamitov’s second at the current Games. On March 10, he won a bronze in the skiing sprint, which was Kazakhstan’s first medal in Italy.
Who is Yerbol Khamitov?
Yerbol Khamitov has been involved in sports since childhood and continued his athletic career even after losing his leg at the age of 19 when he was shot in the knee and had to undergo an amputation.
In 2017, he became a prizewinner in the Kazakhstan Grappling Cup but achieved his greatest success in winter sports. In 2023, he became the world champion in para cross-country skiing, and in 2025, he became the first Kazakhstani to win a gold medal in para biathlon at the World Championship.
Reminder: The Paralympic Games in Italy will end on March 15. Khamitov will participate in the 20-kilometer cross-country skiing race.