On October 19, 2025, the traditional Central Asia Karate Cup was held at the O. Zharylgapov Sports Complex in Almaty.

A first-year student of the 6B01706 – Foreign Languages (IP) program at the Institute of Philology, specializing in the Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication at Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University (QyzPU), Ardak Kaimbay, performed impressively. She won 2nd place in the 16–17 age category for the kata program and 3rd place in the 18+ category for shobu-sanbon (sparring).

Ardak has been practicing karate for three years. She first became interested in the sport while in school:
"Our school received an invitation to join the karate club, and I decided to try it. I’ve always been interested in martial arts, and I immediately liked karate," she shared.

During the competition, Ardak faced a particularly challenging opponent six years older than herself, demonstrating remarkable determination:
"It was one of the toughest moments, as my opponent was older and heavier. But confidence and good preparation helped me succeed," she said.

Ardak also explained the difference between the two disciplines:
"In kata, it’s important to perform defense and attack techniques beautifully and accurately. Shobu-sanbon is an Olympic-style sparring discipline, where speed is key – you must strike your opponent precisely first."

She considers her achievements well-deserved and is planning to participate in the World Championship in Tashkent:
"At first, it was very hard to balance studies and sports. After training, I had to prepare for classes, but over time I learned to plan my day. In the future, I want to perform well at the World Championship in Tashkent," Ardak said.

The young athlete emphasized that her success was largely due to the support of her family and coaches: "The biggest support is, of course, my family. I also want to thank my teacher Gulnaz Konyrbayevna and coach Darkhan Askarov for their trust and guidance. Thanks to their belief in me, I achieved this result," she noted.

The university warmly congratulates Ardak on her victory and wishes her continued success, creative achievements, and new sporting milestones!