Kyrgyzstan

Vitali Klitschko

Professional Boxer

Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko is a Ukrainian professional boxer and the reigning WBC heavyweight champion. He is leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and since 15 December 2012, a member of the Ukrainian parliament. He previously held the WBO and WBC titles. Klitschko is the first professional boxing world champion to hold a PhD degree. Klitschko is known for his powerful punches and durable chin. With a 87.23% knockout percentage rate, he holds the second best knockout-to-fight ratio of any champion in heavyweight boxing history, after Rocky Marciano's 87.76% and currently the 8th longest reigning Heavyweight Champion of all time. He has never been knocked down in any professional boxing bout and has also never lost a decision. His two losses have come via a shoulder injury during a fight and a deep cut above his eye, which were recorded as TKO losses. In both fights, however, he was leading on the scorecards. His power and his possession of a PhD have led to his nickname, Dr. Ironfist. He was awarded Germany's highest civilian award, the Federal Cross of Merit, for his varied accomplishments. On 27 February 2012, Ring Magazine rated Vitali as the number nine pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Chinghiz Aitmatov

Author

Chyngyz Aitmatov was a Soviet and Kyrgyz author who wrote in both Russian and Kyrgyz. He is the best known figure in Kyrgyzstan's literature.

Mikhail Frunze

Military officer

Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze was a Bolshevik leader during and just prior to the Russian Revolution of 1917. He was a major Red Army commander in the Russian Civil War and is best known for defeating Baron Wrangel in Crimea.

Kurmanbek Bakiyev

Politician

Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev is a politician who served as the second President of Kyrgyzstan, from 2005 to 2010. Large opposition protests in April 2010 led to the takeover of government offices, forcing Bakiyev to flee the country. Bakiyev was the leader of the People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan before his ascendance to the presidency. He received most of his popular support from the south of the country. The Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyzstan of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan appointed him acting President on March 25, 2005, following the ousting, during the Tulip Revolution, of President Askar Akayev. In October 2007, Bakiyev initiated the creation of Ak Jol party, but could not lead it due to his presidency.

Talant Duyshebaev

Professional Team Handball Player

Talant Mushanbetovich Duyshebaev is a Russian-Spanish former handball player of Kyrgyz origin and currently coach. His most usual demarcation as a player was center backcourt. He was born in Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic in the former Soviet Union, and started his playing career in CSKA Moscow. He participated on the 1992 Olympic Games as a member of the Unified Team and won the gold medal. He also became the top scorer of the games with 47 goals and was elected into the dream team of the tournament. One year later he participated on the 1993 World Championships as a member of the Russian team and won the gold medal again. After the 1992 Olympics he signed for Teka Cantabria and a few years later he received the Spanish citizenship. Afterwards he played in the Spain national handball team for nearly a decade, gaining two Olympic bronze medals in 1996 and 2000, and silver and bronze medals on the European championships. He also gained several individual recognitions in the world championships, like being elected as the best player of the tournament in 1997, but he failed to win any medals with the Spanish team, which finished 4th in both 1999 and 2003. Ironically when Spain finally won the world championship in 2005, Duyshebaev was no longer the member of the squad.

Jamala

Blues Artist

Jamala, the real name Susana Jamaladinova is a Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar jazz-singer performing the music of her own composition on the junction of jazz, soul, world music and rhythm&blues with the elements of classics and gospel. The turning point in Jamala's career path came with her performance at the "New Wave - 2009" International contest of young pop singers in Jūrmala. The singer was awarded with the grand prize, impressing the jury with her outstanding vocal talent and the confident singing manner in a variety of genres.

Roza Otunbayeva

Politician

Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva is a Kyrgyz diplomat and politician who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 7 April 2010 until 1 December 2011. She was sworn in on July 3, 2010, after acting as interim leader following the 2010 April revolution which led to the ousting of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. She previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and as head of the parliamentary caucus for the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan.

Talgat Nigmatulin

Actor

Talgat Kadyrovich Nigmatulin was a famous Soviet actor and martial artist. Nigmatullin was born on October 5, 1949 in a Tatar-Uzbek family in Kirgizia. He took part in many action movies. Perhaps his most famous movie was Pirates of the 20th Century. He also appeared in the following films: ⁕1969 — Her Name is Spring ⁕1971 — The Night At the 14th Parallel ⁕1972 — The Seventh Bullet ⁕1977 — Armed and Very Dangerous ⁕1979 — Pirates of the 20th Century ⁕1981 — The Right to Shoot ⁕1983 — The Wolf Pit ⁕1984 — Lonely and Unarmed ⁕1985 — Counterpoise Nigmatulin became a follower of Abai Borubayev, a Sufi teacher from Central Asia who had found favour with Moscow art circles, and was murdered in 1985 by other followers of Borubayev, in the latter's presence.

Eldar Djangirov

Jazz Artist

Eldar Djangirov, also known as Eldar, is a Russian-American jazz pianist. He was born on January 28, 1987 in the former Soviet Republic of Kyrgyzstan, and grew up in Kansas City, MO from the age of 10. He also lived in San Diego, California during his teenage years. He currently resides in New York City.

Sabuktigin

Man

Abu Mansur Sabuktigin, also spelled as Sabuktagin, Sabuktakin, Sebüktegin and Sebük Tigin, also known as Nasir-ud-din Sabuktigin, is regarded as the founder of the Ghaznavid Empire in what is now Afghanistan during the late 10th century. He lived as a slave during his teens and later married the daughter of his master Alptigin, the man who seized the region of Ghazna in a political fallout for the throne of the Samanids of Bukhara. When his father-in-law Alptigin died, Sebuktigin became the new ruler and expanded the kingdom after defeating Jayapala to cover the territory as far as the Neelum River in Kashmir and the Indus River in what is now Pakistan.

Maiya Maneza

Weightlifter

Maiya Maneza is a Kazakhstani weightlifter. She won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 63 kg category lifting a combined weight of 245 kg. She established a new Olympic Record in the process. Maiya is a member of the ethnic Dungan minority. Born in China, she moved to Kazakhstan in 2007 and competes for Kazakhstan. Following her Olympic medal win the government Xinhua news agency claimed that Maiya and fellow weightlifter Zulfiya Chinshanlo should be regarded as Chinese. The government of Kazakhstan rejected this claim and accused China of "poor sportsmanship".

Murat Zyazikov

Politician

Murat Magometovich Zyazikov was the second president of the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia. He was born in what is now Kyrgyzstan. Zyazikov was a controversial politician in Ingushetia.

Alexander Mashkevitch

Organization founder

Alexander Mashkevich, born in 1954, is a businessman and investor. He has major holdings and close political relationships in Kazakhstan. He holds both Kazakh and Israeli citizenship; according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, he usually travels on his Israeli passport and "rarely spends more than a week each month in Kazakhstan."

Salizhan Sharipov

Astronaut

Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov is a Kyrgyzstani cosmonaut of Uzbek ancestry. Sharipov is a co-author and investigator for the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity project. He has been to space twice and has conducted two spacewalks. Sharipov retired on 18 July 2008.

Felix Kulov

Politician

Felix Sharshenbayevich Kulov served as Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan following the Tulip Revolution. He first served from 1 September 2005 until he resigned on 19 December 2006. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev reappointed him acting Prime Minister the same day, but Bakiyev's attempts to renominate Kulov in January 2007 were unsuccessful due to parliamentary opposition, and on January 29 a new prime minister was approved by parliament. Kulov is the leader of the Ar-Namys political party and Chairman of the People's Congress of Kyrgyzstan, an electoral alliance between Ar-Namys and other parties.

Elhanan Helpman

Economist

Elhanan Helpman is an Israeli-American economist who works in the field of international trade, political economy and economic growth.

Igor Paklin

Olympic athlete

Igor Paklin is a retired athlete who represented USSR and later Kyrgyzstan. He trained at Armed Forces sports society in Frunze. Competing in the high jump, he won the 1987 World Indoor Championships as well as a silver medal at the 1987 World Championships for the USSR. His personal best jump of 2.41 metres was also the world record from September 4, 1985 to June 30, 1987, when Patrik Sjöberg beat it by one centimetre. His leap of 2.41m places him as the third highest jumper in history. Like all modern high jumpers, Paklin used the Fosbury Flop style, but of the eleven men in history to have cleared 2.40 meters or better, he was the first to do so jumping off his right leg. German jumper Carlo Thränhardt - in February 1988, Russian Vyacheslav Voronin - in August 2000 and Ukrainian Bohdan Bondarenko in 2013 - are the only other jumpers in history to clear 2.40 using a right foot take-off. In 1996, Paklin was imprisoned for beating a business partner to death.

Dennis Wolf

Bodybuilder

Zhantoro Satybaldiyev

Politician

Zhantoro Zholdoshevich Satybaldiyev is a Kyrgyz politician who has been prime minister since 5 September 2012.

Edgar Bernhardt

Soccer Midfielder

Edgar Bernhardt is a German footballer who currently plays for the Polish side Cracovia.

Orzubek Nazarov

Professional Boxer

Orzubek Nazarov is a boxer of Uzbek/Kyrgyz ethnicity, who won the bronze medal at the 1986 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Reno. He is a former WBA Lightweight Champion.

Toktogul Satylganov

Poet

Toktogul Satylganov, born in Kushchusu, Kyrgyzstan, was the most famous of the Kyrgyz Akyns - improvising poets and singers. His fame reached a high point in the Soviet era when his works were promoted by the state as a musician of the people and he was known throughout Kyrgyzstan simply as "Toktogul". This distinction was founded largely on his works in the pre-revolutionary era which were interpreted as reflecting the class struggle. Modern interpretations, however, suggest that they had more to do with clan rivalries. Despite this, he welcomed the revolution, writing "What woman gave a birth to such a person like Lenin?" in celebration. Even after the fall of the Soviet Union Toktogul's songs remain popular among Kyrgyz performers and many streets, parks, schools, and even his home town are named after him.

Daniar Usenov

Politician

Daniar Toktogulovich Usenov is a Kyrgyz banker and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from October 2009 to April 2010. He previously served as Mayor of Bishkek.

Mirlan Murzaev

Soccer Forward

Mirlan Murzaev is a Kyrgyzstani professional footballer. He plays as a forward.

Dinara Asanova

Film Director

Dinara Asanova was a Soviet film director. She directed ten films between 1969 and 1984. Her film Dear, Dearest, Beloved, Unique... was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival.

Boris Pankin

Politician

Boris Dimitrievich Pankin was Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR for a brief period in 1991.

Athanasius Schneider

Religious Leader

Athanasius Schneider is a Roman Catholic bishop who is the auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan and titular bishop of Celerina. He is a member of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross of Coimbra.

Bauyrzhan Dzholchiyev

Soccer Midfielder

Baurzhan Dzholchiev is a Kazakhstani international footballer who plays for FC Tobol and Kazakhstan national football team, as a striker.

Alexander Kosenkow

Professional Sprinter

Alexander Kosenkow Russian: Александр Косенков or Aleksandr Kosenkov is a German sprinter who specialises in the 100 metres. He represents the sports club TV Wattenscheid.

Valerii Kichin

Soccer Defender

Valeriy Kichin is a Kyrgyzstani professional footballer of Russian descent. He currently plays for FC Khimik Dzerzhinsk in the Russian National Football League. He plays in the position of defender.

Alijan Ibragimov

Organization founder

Alijan Ibragimov is a [Kyrgyzstan]-born uyghur oligarch who is a member of a well-known circle of oligarchs in Kazakhstan known as the “Trio.” The “Trio” comprises Ibragimov and his business partners, Alexander Mashkevich and Patokh Chodiev, active in the mining, oil & gas, and banking sectors in Kazakhstan. Ibragimov has been ranked #382 on Forbes’ list of world billionaires. With his partners Chodiev and Mashkevich, Ibragimov is a major shareholder in Eurasian National Resources Corporation, now one of the world's leading natural resources groups. ENRC, based in London, operates a number of metals assets in Kazakhstan and Africa, having acquired numerous mining operations in Eastern Europe and Africa. In 2009, ENRC generated a $1,462 million profit on sales of $3.8 billion. ENRC was floated on the London Stock Exchange in December 2007, with a market capitalisation on Admission of approximately £6.8 billion.

Ernesto Inarkiev

Chess Player

Ernesto Inarkiev is a Russian chess Grandmaster. He was named after Ernesto "Che" Guevara. In 2006 he came third in the 59th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal. In 2010 he tied for 1st–4th with Konstantin Chernyshov, Le Quang Liem and Evgeny Bareev in the Moscow Open.

Aktan Abdykalykov

Film Director

Aktan Abdykalykov is a screenwriter and director from Kyrgyzstan.

Kid Diamond

Professional Boxer

Almazbek Raiymkulov, better known as Kid Diamond is a boxer in the Lightweight division. He is NABF Champion. He is the first professional fighter from Kyrgyzstan known worldwide. He started boxing at age of thirteen in Kyrgyzstan. His parents wanted him to become a doctor, but he made his own decision. He became Champion in Kyrgyzstan at age of seventeen, and was the youngest champion. He was representing Kyrgyzstan at the different tournaments. He was fourth at the Sydney Summer Olympics. He lives and trains in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Kanatbek Begaliev

Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestler

Kanatbek Begaliev is a Kyrgyz wrestler who won the silver medal in the Men's Greco-Roman 66 kg at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. After Athens 2004 where he was at 11th place he received invitation to Kazakh national team, which he accepted and also became Kazakhstan citizen. And he trained in Kazakhstan within Kazakh National team until it turned out that to Olympic qualification he was not eligible to represent Kazakhstan yet, and Kanat returned to Kyrgyzstan and qualified to Beijing 2008, where he wan Silver medal. Consequently, he said «Sure, I am always thankful to Kazakhstan, all Kazakh coaches and athletes who believed in me and shared with me their knowledge and skills. I trained there and played with them football. Thus part of this medal belongs to Kazakhstan»

Daniar Kobonov

Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestler

Daniar Kobonov is a male wrestler from Kyrgyzstan.

Anton Zemlianukhin

Soccer Midfielder

Anton Zemlianukhin is a footballer who plays striker for FC Aktobe. Zemlianukhin signed a five-year contract with TFF First League club Giresunspor at age 16 in August 2007, and he has gone out on loan to Abdish-Ata Kant and FC Taraz to seek more first team football. Zemlianukhin has made nine appearances for the Kyrgyzstan national football team, including participation in the 2009 Nehru Cup. He is well known for his ability to take a long throw in, but in a different way to what people may expect. Instead of the conventional run up and throw, Zemlianukhin does a front flip and is able to hurl the ball over half the width of the pitch.

Igor Chudinov

Politician

Igor Vitalyevich Chudinov is a former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan. He was appointed to that position on December 24, 2007, following the resignation of Iskenderbek Aidaraliyev. Prior to his appointment, he was an energy and industry minister in the Kyrgyz government. Chudinov was nominated for the position by the Ak Zhol party, which won a large majority of seats in the Kyrgyz parliament - the Jogorku Kenesh - in the elections of December 16, 2007. He was confirmed as prime minister by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on December 24. On 21 September 2009, Chudinov was named Honorary President of the Kyrgyz-North America Trade Council, in recognition of his role in promoting trade and investment between the USA/Canada and Kyrgyzstan. He is Russian and does not speak Kyrgyz.

Nasirdin Isanov

Politician

Nasirdin Isanov served as the first Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 30 August 1991 to 29 November 1991, when he died in a car crash.

Nikolay Chernetskiy

Olympic athlete

Nikolay Nikolayevich Chernetskiy is a retired track and field sprinter from the Soviet Union. He is known for winning the gold medal in the men's 4x400 metres relay at the 1980 Summer Olympics and at the inaugural 1983 World Championships. He trained at Armed Forces sports society in Moscow and set his personal best in the 400 metres on 1978-07-07 at a meet in Berkeley, California.

Tyntchtykbek Tchoroev

Man

Tyntchtykbek Tchoroev, Professor of the Kyrgyz State National University (2002). Dr. Tchoroev is currently an independent researcher. Recently, he has worked as a broadcaster of Radio Azattyk, i.e. Kyrgyz Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (he was Director of the Kyrgyz Service between 1 January 2003 and 30 September 2010).

Kanybek Osmonaliyev

Athlete

Kanybek Osmonaliyevich Osmonaliyev is a former Soviet weightlifter, Olympic champion and world champion. He won gold medal in the flyweight class at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

Bolotbek Shamshiyev

Screenwriter

Bolotbek Shamshiyev is a Soviet film director and screenwriter. He directed eleven films between 1965 and 1988. His 1976 film The White Ship was entered into the 26th Berlin International Film Festival.

Tursunbek Chyngyshev

Politician

Tursunbek Chyngyshev served as the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 10 February 1992 to 13 December 1993. He left office due to a motion of no confidence in the Kyrgyzstan parliament caused by the Seabeco gold scandal.

Vitus Nagorny

Soccer Forward

Vitus Nagorny is a Kyrgyzstan-born German former footballer who played as a striker for twelve different clubs during his career.

Mars Rafikov

Astronaut

Mars Zakirovich Rafikov was a Soviet cosmonaut who was dismissed from the Soviet space program for disciplinary reasons. Senior Lieutenant Rafikov, age 26, was selected as one of the original 20 cosmonauts on March 7, 1960 along with Yuri Gagarin. On March 24, 1962, Rafikov was dismissed from the cosmonaut corps, officially for "a variety of offenses, including womanizing and 'gallivanting' in Moscow restaurants, and so forth". Other cosmonauts had exhibited similar behavior, but could not be officially disciplined because of their stature and international reputation. Gherman Titov later suggested, though, that the real reason for his dismissal was because he and his wife had divorced. He remained in the military, serving as a pilot in the Afghanistan war. To protect the image of the space program, efforts were made to cover up the reason for Rafikov's dismissal. His image, like that of others who were dismissed, was airbrushed out of cosmonaut photos. This airbrushing led to speculation about "lost cosmonauts" even though the actual reasons were often mundane.

Anton Kochenkov

Soccer Goalkeeper

Anton Aleksandrovich Kochenkov is a Russian professional football player. He plays for FC Mordovia Saransk.

Tolomush Okeyev

Screenwriter

Tolomush Okeyev was a Kyrgyz screenwriter and film director. He was born 11 September in Bokonbayevskoye. In 1973 he was a member of the jury at the 8th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1975 film The Red Apple was entered into the 9th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1984 film The Descendant of the Snow Leopard was entered into the 35th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear for an outstanding single achievement. In 1999 he was a member of the jury at the 21st Moscow International Film Festival.

Peter Neustädter

Soccer Defender

Peter Neustädter is a former football defender from Soviet Union and Kazakhstan. He ist the current manager of TuS Koblenz.

Jengishbek Nazaraliev

Man

Jengishbek Nazaraliev is a drug rehabilitation professional and politician in Kyrgyzstan. He ran for the presidency in the presidential election of 2009, but withrdew from the election on election day claiming irregularities in the voting process.

Qodirjon Botirov

Man

Kadyrzhan Batyrov is an Uzbek businessman and politician from Kyrgyztan. He was also head of the University of People's Friendship and a parliamentary deputy. Currently he is now living in Sweden. He fled from Kyrgyzstan to Ukraine in 2010 before the fateful riots and massacres that happened in June 2011. Batyrov received a life sentence in absentia for his alleged role in ethnic conflicts in southern Kyrgyzstan in summer 2010. In September 2011 he applied for political asylum in Ukraine and his application remained pending. Kyrgyz authorities issued an Interpol arrest warrant and expected the Ukrainian prosecutors to arrest and extradite him to Kyrgyzstan. This is yet another example of a State that in order to persecute an opponent abuses an international Interpol arrest warrant by trumping up charges. In many cases law enforcement authorities act on such warrants in good faith and thus apprehend and expose them to refoulement. This case also confirms that Ukraine does not comply with its international obligations and does not provide asylum as is to be expected if it were to honour its commitments under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention Related to Refugees. As he was threatened by arrest in Ukraine, Batyrov remained in hiding for several weeks until Sweden granted him international protection in response to UNHCR's urgent resettlement request submitted on security grounds. Sweden's approval of the asylum request finally convinced the Prosecutor's Office to deny the extradition request and Batyrov was free to travel to Sweden on a document issued to him for that purpose. Ukraine so far continues to refuse to grant protection and his application for asylum remains pending for the second month. This is another in a long list of individuals resettled to safety from Ukraine because they faced an imminent threat of arrest in spite of being granted mandate protection by the United Nations Refugee Agency. Sweden has thus joined a list of countries that offer of asylum to those threatened in Ukraine. Batyrov is starting a new life and hopes he can be reunited with his family. He is to start learning Swedish but remains committed to return to his homeland and to continue working for reconciliation of Uzbeks and Kyrghyz in a State governed by the rule of law and respecting human rights standards.

Azimzhan Askarov

Man

Azimzhan Askarov is an ethnically Uzbek Kyrgyzstani political activist who founded the group Vozduh in 2002 to investigate police brutality. During the 2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes, which primarily targeted people of the Uzbek nationality, Askarov worked to document the violence. He was subsequently arrested and prosecuted on charges of creating mass disturbances, incitement of ethnic hatred, and complicity in murder. Following a trial protested by several international human rights groups for irregularities—including alleged torture and the courtroom intimidation of witnesses by police—Askarov was given a life sentence, which he is currently serving. In November 2010, Askarov's health was reported to be rapidly deteriorating as a result of his confinement. Numerous groups have advocated on his behalf, including Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, People In Need, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Amnesty International, the latter of which designated him a prisoner of conscience.

Chingiz Mamedov

Olympic Judo Athlete

Chingiz Mamedov is a Kyrgyzstani judoka who competes in the 90 kg category. He was flag bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Aisuluu Tynybekova

Olympic Freestyle wrestler

Aisuluu Tynybekova is a Kyrgyzstani freestyle wrestler. She competed in the freestyle 63 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics and was eliminated in the 1/8 finals by Henna Johansson.

Aaly Karashev

Politician

Aaly Karashev served as Acting Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from September 1 to September 5, 2012.

Svetlana Matveeva

Chess Player

Svetlana Matveeva is a chess player from Russia. She is a Woman Grandmaster and an International master. In 1984, she tied for first with Anna Akhsharumova in the Women's Soviet Chess Championship. She had a surprise result in the Women's World Chess Championship 2008 when she knocked out the defending champion, Xu Yuhua, in the second round.

Konstantin Schneider

Professional Wrestler

Konstantin Schneider is an amateur German Greco-Roman wrestler, who played for the men's middleweight category. He won a silver medal for his division at the 2003 World Wrestling Championships in Créteil, France, and bronze at the 2005 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Schneider is also a member of the wrestling team for KSV Köllerbach in Püttlingen, and is coached and trained by his father Heinrich Schneider. Schneider made his official debut for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where he placed second in the preliminary pool of the men's 74 kg class, against Russia's Varteres Samurgashev, Ukraine's Volodymyr Shatskykh, and Sweden's Mohammad Babulfath. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Schneider competed for the second time in the men's 74 kg class. He defeated Algeria's Messaoud Zeghdane in the preliminary round of sixteen, before losing out the quarterfinal match to Georgia's Manuchar Kvirkvelia, who was able to score eight points in two straight periods, leaving Schneider without a single point. Because his opponent advanced further into the final match, Schneider offered another shot for the bronze medal by entering the repechage rounds. Unfortunately, he was defeated in the first round by France's Christophe Guénot, with a two-set technical score, and a classification point score of 1–3.

Sultan Ibraimov

Politician

Sultan Ibraimovich Ibraimov was a prominent administrator and politician in the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic. A long-time and popular governor of Osh oblast, then comprising the entire southern part of present-day Kyrgyzstan, he rose to the position of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kyrgyz SSR in 1978.

Muratbek Imanaliyev

Politician

Muratbek Sansyzbayevich Imanaliyev is the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization since January 2010. He was the foreign minister of Kyrgyzstan from 1991 to 1992 and from July 1, 1997 to 2002.

Apas Jumagulov

Politician

Apas Jumagulov served as the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 14 December 1993 to 24 March 1998. He studied geology and mineralogy at the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas in Moscow and began his political career in the Communist Party of the Kyrgyz SSR in 1973, becoming a Secretary in the Central Committee of the Party in 1979 and President of Council of Ministers of Kyrgyz SSR in 1986. Jumagulov and Absamat Masaliyev were the two original candidates for the Kyrgyz Presidency on 25 October 1990, but neither could get the majority of votes, so the Republic's Supreme Soviet chose Askar Akayev to be the first President on 27 October 1990. Jumagulov served as the Ambassador to Germany from 1998 to 2003.

Ruslan Ismailov

Olympic athlete

Ruslan Ismailov is a Kyrgyzstani sport shooter. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men's 10 metre air rifle and the Men's 50 metre rifle three positions.

Amangeldy Muraliyev

Politician

Amangeldy Muraliev is a Kyrgyz politician. He was the chairman of executive committee of council of people's deputies in Frunze in 1988–91, minister of economy and finance in 1991–92, chairman of the State Committee on Economy in 1993–94, chairman of the State Property Fund in 1994–96, governor of Osh Province in 1996–1999, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from April 13, 1999 to December 21, 2000, and president of the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange in 2001–04.

Ruslan Sydykov

Soccer Defender

Ruslan Sydykov, born in a Tatar family on 4 January 1975, is a Kyrgyzstani footballer who is a defender for Dordoi Bishkek. He is a member of the Kyrgyzstan national football team. Sydykov won the Kyrgyzstan footballer of the year in 2005 and 2006.

Bakyt Beshimov

Politician

Bakyt Beshimov is a leader of parliamentary fraction and deputy chairman of Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan. Bakyt Beshimov is a prominent opposition leader, famous for his liberal views, and speaking out against Bakiev's and Akaev's regimes.

Konstantin Semenov

Olympic athlete

Konstantin Semenov is a beach volleyball player.

Elihan Tore

Politician

Elihan Tore Saghuniy Chinese: 艾力汗·吐烈; pinyin: àilìhàn·tǔliè Алихан -тюре was president of the First Eastern Turkistan Islamic Republic. Royal house - Toras / Count, Military Leaders close to King Family, Elihan was born in Tokmok, formerly knows Balasagun, Kyrgyzstan, and in 1920 he escaped from the communists to Kashgar. He was elected as President of the Eastern Turkestan Republic next day after victory of Revolt in Ghulja city on 12 November 1944. Had a military rank of Marshal of Ili National Army, formed on April 8, 1945. Elihan Tore was the only person in the ETR leadership who opposed Joseph Stalin's order to terminate offensive of Ili National Army on Urumchi and start negotiations with Kuomintang in October 1945, on the dawn of full victory of rebel forces over Kuomintang in Sinkiang. On June 12, 1946, six days after signing in Urumchi of the " Peace Agreement " between representatives of Eastern Turkestan Republic and Kuomintang, that concluded the difficult eight months negotiations being started on October 14, 1945 under Soviets mediation with accordance of the offer of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to peacefully resolve " Sinkiang crisis ", he was forcibly brought back to the USSR by the KGB and confined here. The rest of his life he spent under house arrest in Tashkent, where he wrote a book Türkistan kaygısı about Xinjiang.

Jumabek Ibraimov

Politician

Jumabek Ibraimov was a Kyrgyz politician. Born in Dzhany-Alysh of Kemin District he graduated from Frunze Polytechnic Institute in 1971. He was a post-graduate student and worked as a teacher until mid-70s. In 1976 - 1977 he worked as an engineer and the head of the department of technology at the Agricultural Machinery Works named after M.V.Frunze, and in 1977 - 1984 as a design engineer, head of engineering department, chief engineer, and director of Min-Kush branch of Orgtehnika factory. In 1984 he became a head of People's Control Commission, and the First Secretary of Balykchy Town Committee of Communist Party. In 1988 - 1991, Jumabek Ibraimov served as a First Deputy of a Head of Administration of Central Committee of Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan. He served as the Mayor of Bishkek from 1993-1995. President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev appointed him Prime Minister on 25 December 1998 after Akayev dissolved the Cabinet. Ibraimov served until he died of stomach cancer on 4 April 1999.

Lucien Dulfan

Painting Artist

Lucien Dulfan, is an American conceptual artist. When working in former USSR he was considered Nonconformist artist. Born in Frunze, Kyrgyzstan, barely escaping Odessa massacre during German and Romanian occupation of Odessa, Ukraine. Lived in Odessa, Ukraine from 1946 until he immigrated with his family to United States in 1990 and has since lived in Manhattan, New York. He works in his art studio in D.U.M.B.O. New York. Graduated from Odessa State Art Academy in 1963. Member of the Union of Soviet Artists since 1973. Participated in 141 exhibitions, including 111 international shows and 40 solo exhibitions worldwide.

Iasyr Shivaza

Author

Iasyr Shivaza or Shiwaza was a Soviet Dungan poet, writer, editor, and scholar.

Aziz Beyshenaliev

Actor

Azis Beyshinaliev is an actor.

Cholponbek Esenkul Uulu

Soccer Midfielder

Cholponbek Esenkul Uulu is a Kyrgyzstani footballer who is a striker for FC Jūrmala. He is a member of the Kyrgyzstan national football team.

Melis Myrzakmatov

Man

Melis Myrzakmatov is the incumbent mayor of Osh, Kyrgyzstan's second largest city. Myrzakmatov is a radical nationalist leader and openly bears an ethnic Kyrgyz-first policy. He has largely ignored the capital Bishkek in his actions. This situation has not changed even after the northerner Almazbek Atambayev was elected president in December 2011. Senior members of Atambayev's administration "express dismay at tensions in the south but say they have no way of influencing the situation there."

Iuliia Andreeva

Olympic athlete

Iuliia Andreeva née Arkhipova is a Kyrgyzstani long-distance runner. She competed in the marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics, placing 60th with a time of 2:36:01.

Bekzat Osmonaliev

Weightlifter

Bekzat Osmonaliev is a Kyrgyzstani weightlifter. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men's 56 kg.

Hamid Ismailov

Author

Hamid Ismailov is an Uzbek journalist and writer who was forced to flee Uzbekistan in 1992 and came to the United Kingdom, where he took a job with the BBC World Service. His works are banned in Uzbekistan. He published dozens of books in Uzbek, Russian, French, German, Turkish and other languages. Among them books of poetry: "Sad", "Pustynya", of visual poetry: "Post Faustum", "Kniga Otsutstvi ", novels "Sobranie Utonchyonnyh", "Le Vagabond Flamboyant", "Hay-ibn-Yakzan", "Hostage to Celestial Turks", "Doroga k smerti bol'she chem smert'" and many others. He translated Russian and Western classics into Uzbek, and Uzbek and Persian classics into Russian and some Western languages. Ismailov's novel "The Railway", originally written before he left Uzbekistan, was the first to be translated into English, by Robert Chandler, and was published in 2006. A Russian edition was published in Moscow in 1997. Another novel "A Poet and Bin-Laden", translated by Andrew Bromfield, was published in September 2012. His triptych, the novels "Mbobo", "Googling for Soul" and "Two Lost to Life" are also translated into English.

Valery Kashuba

Soccer Goalkeeper

Valery Kashuba is a Kyrgyzstani footballer who is a goalkeeper for Ak Bulak Talgar. He is an occasional member of the Kyrgyzstan national football team. His first and only cap was a friendly match against Kuwait national football team in 2004. His most recent call up to the national team was on 18 February 2004 in a preliminary match against Tajikistan national football team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Kashuba was named Kyrgyzstan goalkeeper of the year in 2006

Sergey Gubarev

Olympic Water polo Player

Sergey Gubarev is a Kazakhstani water polo player from Bishkek. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed for the Kazakhstan men's national water polo team in the men's event. He is 6 ft 0 inches tall.

Ruslan Amirov

Soccer

Ruslan Amirov, born 14 October 1990, is a Kyrgyzstani footballer, who is a goalkeeper of FC Mika, Armenia.

Ilia Ignatev

Olympic Sailer

Ilia Ignatev is a Kyrgyzstani sailor. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men's Laser class.

Rasul Abduraim

Olympic Taekwondo Athlete

Rasul Abduraim is a Kyrgyzstani taekwondo practitioner. He competed in the 80 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics and was eliminated in the preliminary round by Mauro Sarmiento.

Zamira Sydykova

Politician

Zamira Sydykova is the Kyrgyz ambassador to the United States and Canada, having been appointed to that position by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Sydykova was born in what is now Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. At the time of her birth the city was known as Frunze and was the capital of the Kyrgyz SSR, a subdivision of the Soviet Union. The city changed its name to Bishkek after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Sydykova studied journalism at the prestigious Moscow State University and after graduating began working as a reporter for the popular newspaper, Komsomolets Kirgizii, the local organ of the Soviet communist party's youth wing, Komsomol. In 1992, after Kyrgyzstan became independent, she founded the country's first independent newspaper, Respublika and as editor-in-chief she struggled to promote freedom of the press and the concept of an open society. Her criticism of then president Askar Akayev and his increasingly authoritarian regime resulted in her arrest and imprisonment, along with repeated attempts by the authorities to close down the newspaper. In 2000 she was awarded the Courage in Journalism award by the International Women's Media Foundation for her efforts to promote free media.

Arsen Eraliev

Olympic athlete

Arsen Eraliev is a Kyrgyzstani Greco-Roman wrestler. He competed in the Greco-Roman 55 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics; he was defeated in the 1/8 finals by Hamid Sourian and eliminated in the repechage round by Péter Módos.

Vadim Kharchenko

Soccer Midfielder

Vadim Kharchenko, born on 28 May 1985, is a Kyrgyzstani footballer, of Russian nationality, who is a midfielder of Dordoi Bishkek. He was member of the Kyrgyzstan national football team. In 2006 he was named Midfielder of the Year in Kyrgyzstan. He switched to Russian nationality in July 2011, and is no longer eligible to play for the Kyrgyzstan national team.

Edil Baisalov

Politician

Edil Baisalov is Chief of Staff to the head of the interim government in Kyrgyzstan, Roza Otunbayeva, following the 2010 Kyrgyzstani uprising on April 7, 2010. He is a Kyrgyz political activist and former president of the Coalition for Civil Society and Democracy, a leading civic advocacy group. He was born in Bishkek in 1977 and attended the American University of Central Asia and the Kyrgyz State National University. He studied in Turkey and the United States as an exchange student. In February 2003, the Kyrgyz government forcibly hospitalized Baisalov, preventing him from attending an NGO meeting. Baisalov played a leading role in the Tulip Revolution of March 24, 2005. Baisalov has campaigned against crime and corruption. On April 12, 2006 he survived an attempted assassination for his vocal criticism of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's failure to battle organized crime. In November 2006, Baisalov was involved in large anti-government demonstrations in Bishkek, acting as a spokesman for protesters. Shortly afterwards, Baisalov was again attacked in the Osh airport. In August 2007 Baisalov joined the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, chaired by prime-minister Almazbek Atambaev. He played an important role in consolidating democratic opposition to president Kurmanbek Bakiev.

Kaiumzhan Sharipov

Soccer Midfielder

Kayumjan Sharipov is a Kyrgyzstani football player. He plays as defender for Dordoi Bishkek.

Nikolai Bulgakov

Soccer Defender

Nikolai Mikhailovich Bulgakov is a Russian professional football coach and a former player. He made his professional debut in the Soviet Second League in 1977 for FC Alga Frunze.

Vladislav Volkov

Soccer

Vladislav Volkov in Kyrgyzstan is a footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper. He currently plays for Dordoi Bishkek in the Kyrgyzstan League and the Kyrgyzstan national football team.

Madina Biktagirova

Olympic athlete

Madina Ulfatovna Biktagirova is a retired long-distance runner. She competed for both Belarus and Russia.

Natalya Arinbasarova

Actor

Natalya Arinbasarova is an actress.

Dmitrii Aleksandrov

Olympic athlete

Vladimir Verevkin

Soccer

Vladimir Verevkin, born on 8 May 1987, is a Kyrgyzstani footballer who is a striker for Alga Bishkek. He is a member of the Kyrgyzstan national football team. In the group stage of the 2006 AFC Challenge Cup, held in Bangladesh, Verevkin scored the opening goal to give Kyrgyzstan a 1-0 lead. The goal was important for Kyrgyzstan to get back on track after losing its opening game. However, Verevkin's goal never counted because the match was abandoned in the 76th minute due to heavy rain. The match was replayed from the begin on April 7, which Kyrgyzstan won 2-0.

Karim Izrailov

Soccer Midfielder

Karim Izrailov is a Kyrgyzstani professional footballer. Currently he is playing for Abdish-Ata Kant.

Tatyana Efimenko

Olympic athlete

Tatyana Efimenko is a female high jumper from Kyrgyzstan. Her personal best jump is 1.97 metres, achieved in July 2003 in Rome. She won the bronze medal at the 1998 World Junior Championships and finished fifth at the 2002 IAAF World Cup. She competed at the World Championships in 1999 and 2005 without reaching the finals there. At the Olympic Games she exited in the qualifying round in 2000 and 2004, failing to clear the opening height in the former. On the regional level she won the Asian Championships in 2002 and 2005 as well as the 2002 Asian Games. She took the silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games.