Sanzhar Nurseit: “I want to become World Combat SAMBO champion”

Sanzhar Nurseit of Kazakhstan won gold at the World SAMBO Cup in Dushanbe, in the under-79 kg Combat SAMBO category. In the decisive bout against an athlete from Kyrgyzstan, he sealed the win by putting his opponent down with a knockdown. He spoke to the FIAS website about the bout and his plans for the future right after the final.

– That was a really tough bout. What made the difference for you?

– I managed to land a counter as my opponent came forward to attack, and then I put him down with a knockdown.

– What was your game plan going in? Had you faced this opponent before?

– There wasn't really a plan. It was our first time facing each other. I didn't prepare for the athlete from Kyrgyzstan specifically, though of course I watched his bouts throughout the tournament and drew some conclusions from that.

– The Kyrgyz athlete made a few attempts to shoot in for a takedown, but you defended well each time. Was that something you'd drilled in advance?

– Yes, we worked on that – we prepared for exactly that scenario. My first four points came from a throw off a counter. I was waiting for the right moment to land a counter, and that's exactly how it played out.

– What about the knockdown in the second half of the bout? Were you expecting him to push forward late in the fight, and waiting to catch him for it?

– Yes, that's right. I knew Kurmanbek would come forward to try to close the gap on the scoreboard, and that's exactly what happened.

– What does this World Cup medal mean to you?

– I can't really put it into words – I'm overwhelmed with emotion. But the most important thing for me and my team was hearing Kazakhstan's anthem.

– What's next for you?

– I want to become World Combat SAMBO champion. In November, I'm focused on nothing but winning – nothing but gold in Tashkent. Especially since the World Championships in November will be the 50th anniversary edition. Winning a medal at a tournament like that would mean even more.