3,000 athletes are in Kyrgyzstan for the World Nomad Games — But this sport could steal the show
Kok boru competitions have begun at the sixth World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul region, bringing one of Central Asia's traditional horseback sports to the international event.
Kok boru is a team sport in which riders compete on horseback to gain control of a goat carcass or weighted dummy and throw it into the opposing team's goal, known as a taikazan.
The sport combines speed, strength, riding skills and teamwork, with players wrestling for possession while controlling their horses. Official matches usually last 60 minutes, divided into three 20-minute periods.
The sixth World Nomad Games opened in Bishkek on August 31.
Around 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries are expected to compete in traditional sports including kok boru, wrestling, archery and hunting with birds of prey.
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More than 100 countries gather in Kyrgyzstan for the World Nomad Games
The Games run until September 6, with much of the sporting and cultural programme taking place in the Issyk-Kul region. The closing ceremony is scheduled for September 6 on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
