November 1 is day of militia (police) in Kyrgyzstan. On the eve of the holiday, the Kabar news agency interviewed Kymbat Nurzhanova, investigator of Ak-Suu district internal affairs department of Issyk-Kul region, senior lieutenant of the police. A young but experienced police officer, she is not only devoted to her service, but also brought international fame to Kyrgyzstan by becoming a two-time world champion in mas wrestling. In the interview, Kymbat talked about her childhood dream, the difficulties of her profession, and how to combine official sports with professional sports.
— Kymbat, congratulations on your professional holiday! Tell us briefly about yourself.
— Thank you very much. I currently work as an investigator in Ak-Suu district of Issyk-Kul region and hold the title of senior lieutenant of the police.
— How did you get into the police? Was this a childhood dream or a decision made over time?
— I dreamed of becoming a police officer since childhood. At school, probably from the 7th grade, I decided to become a police officer. I wanted to wear a uniform and serve the people. At first, I dreamed of becoming a military officer, but fate brought me to the internal affairs bodies. I put all my effort into achieving my goal and studied the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs named after Major General E. Aliev, which I graduated in 2022. After graduating from the academy, I started working as an investigator in Karakol city, where I worked for about half a year, and then I was transferred to Ak-Suu district.
— You are the world champion in mas wrestling. How did you get involved in this relatively rare and powerful sport?
— I always say that I came to sports for the sake of the police profession. Before that, I was engaged in dancing. However, in order to get admission in the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on grant basis, you had to have sports achievements. Then I decided to try myself in stick wrestling. There was a competition among schoolchildren in Karakol, and I also participated. At first, this sport seemed easy, but the next day I could hardly get out of bed. So my path in sports began. I trained for about seven or eight years. Now I am an Honored Master of Sports of the Kyrgyz Republic in pole vaulting, a two-time world champion, a World Cup winner, a multiple champion of Asia and Kyrgyzstan. I am the only athlete in this sport who has received the title of Honored Master of Sports.
— How do you manage to combine service and sports at such a high level?
— It’s not easy. But in the police, people who are involved in sports are always supported. When I was studying at the academy, they treated me with understanding, allowed me to go to training, and helped me catch up on lessons. Now, even in the service, I have the opportunity to apply and get permission to participate in competitions. Now, of course, it has become a little more difficult, because the work of investigator requires complete dedication, both morally and physically. We work on an equal footing with men, there is no concept of men and women in this profession. Sometimes there are difficult and dangerous situations, but we come out of them all successfully.
—What is more difficult? Defeating a rival or dealing with difficulties at work?
—Indeed, it is easier to defeat a rival in a competition. There, you came out with everything clear, showed your strength, and won. But in the service there are various calls: drunken brawls, quarrels, serious crimes. In such cases, you need to be able to communicate, persuade, and remain calm. This requires a lot of emotional endurance.
— What qualities do you think unite a good police officer and a successful athlete?
— First of all, discipline. Another important quality is the ability to act within the law. A police officer must obey the law himself in order to have the moral right to demand the same from citizens.
— Do you plan to continue your sports career or have you decided to focus on your service?
— I have now completed my sports career. I have achieved my goals in sports. Unfortunately, pole vaulting is not an Olympic sport and does not receive the same support as other sports. Perhaps, if the conditions were different, I would still continue to participate. Now I mostly participate in competitions as a referee and focus more on my work. Also, like most women, I want to start a family, because I believe that family should come first.
— What would you say to girls who dream of a career in the police or sports?
— My advice to girls who want to work in the police is to think carefully about this step. This is a serious decision and a big responsibility, because you are responsible not only for yourself, but also for others. And for those who want to go in for sports, I would say that serious sports are not for health. For health, it is just physical training. Serious sports require sacrifice. The main thing is that a person should choose a job that he loves, and only then will he do it with pleasure. Not “because it is necessary”, but work that he does with all his heart will lead to success.