More than six in ten Sakats engage in sports activities
Revamped Rundown: Yakutians Embracing Physical Culture in a New Wave
Fire up the sport teams, Yakutsk is on a mission! Over half a million Yakutians — that's 60% of the population — are sweat-drenching their way through physical culture and adaptive sports by the end of 2024. This turbo-charged fitness drive was announced by Aisen Nikolaev, the head of the Republic, in a speech to the Yakutian Parliament, as per the Agency for Humanitarian Development of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)'s press service.
The fitness fever is contagious, thanks to the addition of spanking new sports facilities. Yakutsk and Zhigansk have welcomed multifunctional sports halls, a cultural-sports complex has sprung up in Churapcha, and a sports complex has emerged in Suntar. To top it off, a covered ice rink in the capital and a sports hall in Kysyl-Syr, Vilyuysk ułus, have seen the light of day.
Aisen Nikolaev addressed the crowd of people’s deputies, declaring, "We're working tirelessly to enhance sports infrastructure, create conditions for physical culture activities, and promote a healthy lifestyle. I'm certain that you, dear colleagues, share my conviction that these areas of government work are crucial for the republic, its people, and the advancement of human capital, and for individuals' personal realization within their native Yakutia."
Promoting national sports of Yakutia, including at an international level, is another driving force for the ongoing cooperation between the State Assembly and the Government, as Aisen Nikolaev pointed out. The highlight of this fitness blitz will undoubtedly be the XXII Spartakiade of national sports 'Mancalary' in Tatclean ulus.
It's important to note that a substantial children’s sports event took place in Yakutsk last year. The VIII Summer International Sports Games "Children of Asia" saw 2,757 participants from 24 countries competing in 24 sports, both main and demonstration ones. A grand total of 237 medal sets were handed out in the 22 main sports.
On top of infrastructure sprucing-up, sports gear was obtained for four Olympic reserve sports schools in Suntar, Ust-Aldan, Megino-Kangalass, and Yakutsk, as part of the federal project "Sport - a norm of life", which is part of the "Demography" national project initiated by President Vladimir Putin. In addition, the regional center of the All-Russian physical culture and sports complex "GTO" conducted 18 republican events to promote the GTO complex, with 2,584 people passing its standards, including 2,007 receiving the gold badge, 330 earning the silver, and 247 achieving the bronze.
Environmental factors, cultural resilience, community initiatives, health improvements, social cohesion, youth development, and cultural preservation all contribute to this sports boom. As Yakutians face pressures from modernization, they see physical culture and traditional activities as a means to preserve their identity while adapting to their harsh climate.
Looking ahead, the plans include further investment in sports infrastructure, integrating traditional games and activities into education and public events, empowering local leaders, and collaborating with national and international organizations to bring new resources and ideas to support physical culture.
In the context of Yakutia's new wave of embracing physical culture, the science of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise are playing significant roles, as new sports facilities and a focus on sports infrastructure development aim to promote a healthy lifestyle among the Yakutian population. Furthermore, the science of sports is being utilized to foster national sports, with an ultimate goal of promoting these traditional games at an international level.
