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Alysh, or Belt wrestling, is a traditional combative sport of the Steppe of Asia. Belt wrestling is known as schwingen in Switzerland. In Sweden, it is called byxkast. The sport has been gaining in popularity in North and South America. Alysh is known for its high-amplitude throws, and this Nomad Games event did not disappoint. As the national sport of Kazakhstan, it was a natural inclusion in the 5th Nomad Games held in Astana, Kazakhstan from September 8 to September 15, 2024. The Nomad Games are held every two years and celebrate the traditional sports of the Steppe.
This competition was held in the National Wrestling Hall of Kazakhstan, a large, newly built, government venue. The structure was erected for the sole purpose of hosting combative sports, Freestyle and Greco/Roman wrestling, Alysh and Kurash at the forefront. It shows the depth of commitment that Kazakhstan has made to the betterment of its international wrestling program.
A nice lift from the fighter in blue. The bare feet of his opponent shows the fighter to be a jojoka. The Alysh competition, held during the 5th Nomad Games in Astana, Kazakhstan on September 13th, drew fighters from many different martial arts. One way to tell the disciplines apart is by the choice of footwear, or lack there of. The fighter in green tries to counter the lift with a dive over move, the lift was successful and the blue fighter was able to score 3 points.
The blue fighter continues his throw by placing his leg on the outside of the green fighter's leg to begin a twisting motion to expose the green fighter's shoulders.
Here the blue fighter drives off of his posted leg to finish his pivot and powers the green fighter to the mat exposing his shoulders for 3 points.
The throw is done and the blue fighter can relax while gravity will finish his work. The score of 3 points is achieved because the green fighter went directly from his feet to his shoulders.
The sport of Alysh requires the fighters to hold on to each other's belts the entire match. All lifts and throws must come from the grip on the belt. To earn 3 points, you must lift your opponent completely off his feet and place him directly onto his shoulders. Fewer points are scored when landing on a hip or side. There are no pins that end the competition. The first fighter to six points wins. The athletes who compete in this sport come from many disciplines and backgrounds, including wrestling, sambo, and judo. The belt is purposefully warped loosely around the Gi and tied in a tight kata knot to facilitate the ability of your opponent to grab it. As a rule, you must offer your opponent your belt and allow them to get the hand grip and wrap required in the sport.
There is much pushing and pulling in Aylsh for the fighters to get into position, and then a sudden, explosive throw. Often, there is no action for two minutes or more, and then a sudden burst of movement for a few seconds. For a still photographer, capturing this action requires patience and a quick reaction. You have to keep reminding yourself to pay attention through the 6-minute match. These images were shot at 1/1200, f/3.2, and iso of 4000.
Several countries that did not compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics were at this event. Russia, Belarus, and North Korea were among the teams that competed in this competition. Their athletes showed well and made the finals at many weights. Doping issues aside, politics seem less important in the traditional combative sports than in the Olympic tradition. It is not known if WADA was at these games, and this reporter did not see them there.
The city of Astana is set up for sports. My hotel was next to the National Wrestling Hall of Kazakhstan where this competition was held. On the other side, of the hotel, was the National Athletic Stadium and across the street was the National Ice Stadium. A number of other large venues lined the avenue that the wresting hall was on. Is Astana setting itself up to host an Olympics in the future? The elevated tram system currently under construction will go far in helping them convince the IOC that they are ready. Almaty, Kazakhstan, a city to the South, had a unsuccessful bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in their only other attempt to lure an Olympics to Central Asia. All images by Robbert Wijtman/CSC Sports Photography
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