Kazakhstani rowers Vladislav Yakovlev and Ivan Chernukhin have won gold at the 20th Asian Games in Japan. The medal is Kazakhstan’s first-ever gold medal in rowing at the Asian Games, El.kz reports citing the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Historic Gold
Vladislav Yakovlev and Ivan Chernukhin competed the men’s coxless pair event. In the final, the Kazakh crew crossed the finish line first, beating their closest competitors from China by 2.09 seconds.
Prior to the final, the athletes had successfully advanced through the preliminary stage. Throughout the season, the national team had been preparing specifically for the Asian Games, which the coaching staff had identified as the team’s main competition of the year.
Yakovlev and Chernukhin Have Already Won Together
The Kazakh rowers have been racing together internationally for several seasons. In 2025, Yakovlev and Chernukhin won bronze medals at the Asian Rowing Championships.
This season, the duo won the Asian Rowing Cup held in Chungju, Republic of Korea. They have now added the Asian Games title to their list of achievements.
Kazakhstan to Compete in Another Final
The rowing competition involving the national team is continuing. Today, Yakovlev and Chernukhin are also scheduled to compete in the men’s eight final, alongside Yaroslav Melnikov and Timur Fomichev.
The 20th Asian Games are being held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October. Kazakhstan is represented at the Games by 558 athletes competing in 35 sports.
