2024, October 21
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Olympic Champions Answer Students' Questions
2024, October 21
Share this articleHow do you balance professional sports with academics, handle pre-competition stress, or overcome challenges? These and other questions were answered by Olympic champions during a Q&A session with NU students.
The event, co-organized by NU and the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, was part of a two-day seminar focused on helping athletes transition careers. The initiative, launched in 2005, has since supported more than 56,000 athletes globally, helping them discover their potential and plan their post-sports lives.
During the Q&A, Olga Rypakova, 2012 London Olympic champion in athletics, shared her journey into high jumping, discussed overcoming fears, and highlighted the role of new technologies in training. Serik Sapiyev, 2005 and 2007 world champion and 2012 Olympic boxing champion, advised students to focus not on winning, but on giving their best effort and using that effort to benefit society and loved ones. Dmitry Balandin, the 2012 Rio de Janeiro Olympic champion and three-time 2014 Asian Games champion in swimming, opened up about a challenging period in his life, emphasizing the importance of discipline and knowing when to rest to avoid burnout.
Joining the Kazakhstani athletes on stage were representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who had traveled to Astana for the athlete seminar. Hungarian Zsofia Csonka, a participant in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympics in shooting, spoke about breaking down barriers for women in sports and being a role model to inspire more girls to participate. Chilean gymnast Simona Castro, a three-time Summer Olympic participant (2012, 2016, 2020) in artistic gymnastics, shared how she successfully balanced her sports career with university studies, and how that experience equipped her with essential skills for competing in the Olympics.
The students warmly welcomed the champions and expressed their gratitude for the inspiring discussions.
