KazNU graduate entered the Top 30 best triathletes in the world

Yeldar Shekerbek, a graduate of al-Farabi Kazakh National University, entered the Top 30 best full-distance triathletes in the world in the age category of 19-24 years. The Kazakhstani athlete achieved a high result at the international IRONMAN Italy Emilia-Romagna 2026 competitions.

One of the most massive and prestigious starts of the world triathlon took place on September 19 in the Italian city of Cervia on the Adriatic coast. More than 6 thousand athletes from different countries took part in the competition, while 2117 athletes reached the finish line. The full IRONMAN distance is considered one of the toughest endurance tests. Participants need to swim 3.8 kilometers in open water without a break, ride 180 kilometers on a bicycle and complete the race with a 42.2 kilometer marathon run. The total length of the route is about 226 kilometers.

In a highly competitive environment, Yeldar Shekerbek competently distributed his forces at all stages and finished among the strongest young triathletes. He was the only representative of Kazakhstan in his age category. Yeldar Shekerbek is a master of sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in open water swimming, candidate for Master of Sports in triathlon and presidential all–around. He began his sports training at the age of 12, doing the presidential all-around, and then trained as part of the Kazakhstan youth triathlon team.

Among his achievements are two wins at the Oceanman Open Water Swimming World Championships. In 2022, the athlete became the absolute champion of Asia on the island of Krabi in Thailand, covering a five-kilometer distance in 1 hour and 10 minutes and showing the best result among 1,200 participants. In 2025, Yeldar entered the top five swimmers at a distance of 10 kilometers in the final of the World Championships in the UAE, and also took sixth place in his age group in the Bosphorus swim. A graduate of KazNU combines a sports career with coaching. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education and from the University's Faculty of Law.

Press-service of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University