Boxer Bekzat Sattarkhanov by the age of 20 established himself in the status of a national star. In just five years, he went from a beginner in boxing to an Olympic champion. Victory at the Sydney Games in 2000 made him a hero of the country. He was supposed to live an excellent life and bring more success to Kazakhstani sports, but the tragedy that happened 15 minutes before the New Year changed everything.

The boxer’s father believed that the accident that his son had had could not have been accidental.

15 km on foot and chasing a dream

Bekzat spent a difficult childhood in his native Turkestan. It could not be otherwise, because his growing up took place against the backdrop of the collapse of the Soviet Union with all the ensuing consequences. The time was, to put it mildly, not rich. All the good that was left of the USSR evaporated, but a lot of problems appeared, high crime and much more. Sattarkhanov’s parents were rather poor, so Bekzat dreamed of getting out of this situation and arranging a comfortable and happy life for his family.

Largely because of this, he decided to become a boxer, and he did it very late. He was 15 years old when he chased his dream. He wanted to see new countries, learn the culture of other people and develop both personally and professionally. For this, he got up every morning at 5 am and covered a distance of 15 kilometers to the training hall. Often he did not have enough money for the bus, so the guy just walked or took a morning jog. Although, given the distance, it would be more correct to call it a half marathon.

Sattarkhanov loved justice since childhood and always stood up for girls when he saw that they were offended. He didn’t care that they were physically stronger and older than him. Therefore, it is not surprising that he chose boxing as his sports career. In the 10th grade, Bekzat was invited to the city of Shymkent, located 150 kilometers from his native Turkestan. There was an Olympian training school, which was simply necessary to continue development. Of course, it was not easy for him to leave his parental home, friends, but there was no doubt about the correctness of the decision. To become what he wanted, he just had to do it.

Around the same years, Bekzat’s talent as a singer erupted. He superbly performed songs with a guitar and, according to eyewitnesses, could look worthy on the stage. The girls, of course, liked all this very much, but Sattarkhanov did not even think about becoming an artist. It was just a hobby that he was great at. All thoughts were connected with boxing and only with it.

Bekzat Sattarkhanov / Photo: © Al Bello / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Fast flight to the top and crazy Olympic gold

Bekzat only had two years of training to qualify for the youth team of Kazakhstan in the featherweight division. It was fantastic progress. And in 1998, he was already on the podium of the World Youth Championship in Buenos Aires. Shortly thereafter, the selection for the Olympic Games in Sydney took place. In order to win the coveted ticket, Sattarkhanov needed to defeat an opponent from Ukraine. The fight was incredibly difficult, Bekzat left the ring covered in blood, but still won and qualified for the 2000 Games.

He certainly was not the favorite of that Olympics. Experts viewed him as a star of the future, not the present. But Bekzat was sure that there was no point in waiting for the next Olympic cycle, because if you made it to the main start of the four years, the result must be given here and now. As if he felt that there would be no other chance. Even at a meeting with his teacher at school shortly before his trip to Sydney, he signed a card for her with the words: “With love and gratitude, Olympic champion Bekzat Sattarkhanov.”

He truly believed that Olympic gold was real and achievable. In Australia, the most difficult fight for him was the quarterfinal with the Turkish boxer Ramzan Paliani. The thing is that the Turkish delegation really wanted a medal in this type of program and put pressure on the judges in every possible way so that they did everything right. However, Vice-President of the International Boxing Federation Beket Makhmutov came to the aid of Sattarkhanov. Tom managed to “settle down” the work of the judiciary, and Sattarkhanov won a well-deserved victory.

In the semifinals and finals, he confidently dealt with his rivals and became the Olympic champion for the first and last time. Bekzat at home immediately became a star of the national level. He was personally congratulated by the President of Kazakhstan and presented with a state order. Nevertheless, the fallen fame did not change him. Meeting with officials and celebrities, he perceived as part of the job and still tried to spend as much time as possible with friends and family.

Bekzat Sattarkhanov / Photo: © Al Bello / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

The secret of death. Did you set up an accident?

On December 31, 2000, Sattarkhanov took part in a solemn event on the main square of Turkestan, where he was awarded the “Athlete of the Year in Kazakhstan” award. Then there was a warm meeting with the family, hugs with mom. No one knew that it was, in fact, a farewell. Bekzat set off on the road two hours before the New Year. He had to drive 150 kilometers by car to Shymkent, where friends and a festive table were waiting for him. And he went on an expensive car, which he bought with prize money for winning the Olympics.

However, Bekzat did not reach the place of celebration. Before the destination was 40 kilometers, when the car flew to the side of the road and rolled over. There were two more people in the car with the champion, they both survived, but Sattarkhanov died on the spot. There were 15 minutes left before the New Year. The athlete’s father, a few years after the tragedy, in an interview with Azattyk radio, suggested that the true circumstances of death could differ from the simple “lost control.”

– There are some doubts in my soul, but again, I can’t say for sure and say something for sure. Perhaps Bekzat was destined to die this way. Nobody saw it, and whoever saw it, for some reason, does not tell the truth. Now no one is raising this issue. Sometimes it seems to me that in this way everything will be forgotten in time. And after Bekzat, more eminent athletes died under mysterious circumstances. But even these tragedies are not disclosed,” said Seilkhan Sattarkhanov.

The father of the Olympic champion is probably hinting at the rumors that were circulating in Kazakhstan. Allegedly, the accident was set up by bandits, with whom Bekzat did not want to share the prize money. The silence of the witnesses really looked strange, but no one ever found any evidence. The death of a remarkable boxer will forever remain a mystery.