Serik Sapiev is a famous Kazakhstani boxer, acting at an amateur level. He became the world champion twice. At the London 2012 Olympics, he took "gold", and was also awarded the Val Barker Cup, which is awarded to the most technical boxer of the games.
Biography: early years
Serik Zhumangalievich Sapiev was born on November 16, 1983 in Abai, a small mining village of urban type. It is separated from Karaganda 30 km. Serik was born into an international family: his father is Kazakh by nationality, his mother is a Mari.
The Sapievs had two more sons and a daughter. The father worked in the mine, and the mother worked in the accounting department.
Serik's uncles on his father's side were athletes: one was engaged in boxing, and the other was in freestyle wrestling. Both are masters of sports. Serik followed in their footsteps. His brothers and sister in childhood also went to sports clubs, but later abandoned this business.
Serik started boxing at the age of 11. In an interview, he admitted that at first he was very lazy and skipped training. The parents did not insist on taking classes. However, soon Sapiev realized that he had to "plow" a lot, otherwise he could forget about the coveted Olympic award.
Seeing the potential in the child, the parents transferred Serik to the sports college of Karaganda. After graduation, he continued his studies at the Karaganda University named after. E. Buketova. Having become a student, Serik did not give up training. In Karaganda, he studied under the supervision of Alexander Strelnikov.
Career
In 2004, Sapiev won the Kazakhstan Championship. He competed in the weight category up to 60 kg. The victory allowed him to enter the national team. A year later, Serik won the world championship in the weight category up to 64 kg.
At the 2006 Asian Games, he won the bronze medal. The next year Serik won gold at the World and Asian Championships.
Sapiev took part in the 2008 Olympics. However, then he only reached the quarterfinals, losing to future champion Manus Bunjomnong. After these Games, Serik began to compete in weight up to 69 kg. At the next Olympics, held in London, Sapiev became the champion.
In 2017, Serik became a member of the Kazakh parliament. However, a year later, he announced his voluntary resignation. Soon Sapiev became the head of the Republican Sports Committee. In 2019, Serika began to chair the Council for Physical Culture and Sports of the CIS member states, which includes Russia.
Serik has several awards, including state orders of the Fatherland and Nobility. He is the UNESCO Sport Champion.
Personal life
Serik Sapiev is married. His wife's name is Moldir, she is Kazakh by nationality. The couple have been together for over ten years. Serik and Moldik have three children, all daughters. It is noteworthy that the parents gave everyone names starting with the letter "A": Aisulu, Alua, Akku. Girls attend dance and chess clubs.
The athlete's wife is a housewife. He considers the spouse to be the support on which the whole family rests.
