Kyrgyz cyclist rides to Turkey in journey to World Nomad Games
Mamit Taştanov, who set off from Kyrgyzstan by his bicycle to participate in the 4th World Nomad Games, arrived in Bursa after a difficult 45-day journey.
75-year-old judo and wrestling trainer Tashtanov, who was invited to the Nomad Games to be held in Iznik on September 29-October 2, completed his preparations and set off on his bicycle from the capital Bishkek on August 5.
Encountering wild animals in the deserts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and crossing difficult roads in Azerbaijan and Georgia on his route, Tashtanov arrived in Bursa, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World in 2022, after a journey of approximately 6 thousand kilometers.
Mamit Tastanov said that in previous years, he had applied to the Turkish embassy in Kyrgyzstan twice to go to Turkey by bicycle in order to strengthen the friendship between the Turkish and Kyrgyz peoples, the first was rejected, but the second was accepted.
Stating that he could not make his trip due to the Covid-19 epidemic, Tashtanov said, “God has blessed the journey this year. I was very happy that it coincided with the 4th World Nomad Games.” said.
“I realized what a great and beautiful country Turkey is”
Tashtanov said that he met with local administrators in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan during his journey.
Expressing that he gave advice to young people doing sports while passing through Bukhara, Mamit Tashtanov said:
“I had participated in the cycling event in Baku. The president of the cycling event welcomed me very well. In one of the events in Azerbaijan, there was a competition for people over 70 years old. I said the presidenr of event ‘Please Invite me to competition.’, he smiled and said. “There is no one but you Mamit in this competition” During the trip, my bike got broken but Thank God, the chairman of the cycling event changed my bike.
I had to stay in the deserts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan where no people lived. I set up my tent, made my bed on the ground, but at night time the wolves were almost attacking me so I encountered wild animals, I had scared them off with fireworks. The wheather was very hot in the some point of the road. The temperature sometimes gets 45-50 degrees on a day time. My belongings total weight was over 25 kilos, so carrting out some extra water was out of option. I was taking only enough water with me, but because of thirst, sometimes my lips got stick to each other. I came to Turkey via Georgia and before arriving Istanbul, I saw great and beautiful places of Turkey while I ride through the Black sea”
Stating that he has been interested in sports since his childhood, Tashtanov emphasized that he trusted the courage God gave him rather than sportsmanship on this journey.
Explaining that he had traveled 2,700 kilometers between Bishkek and Tashkent by bicycle, Tastanov added that he plans to go to Berlin from Bishkek by bicycle in March next year.
