Every Kazakh team member won a medal. Kazakhstan secured eight medals at the 3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI 2026) in Astana, with Dauzhan Beketov finishing second in the overall individual world ranking, DKNews.kz reports.
The national team collected two gold, two silver and four bronze medals. With all eight students reaching the podium, Kazakhstan achieved a 100% medal success rate and ranked sixth in the unofficial overall medal standings.
Eight students — eight medals
The 3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence was held in Astana from August 2 to 8.
Kazakhstan's eight-person national team finished the competition without a single student leaving without a medal.
The results were:
- Gold — Dauzhan Beketov, Almaty, Lyceum No. 165
- Gold — Sultanbi Isatai, Karaganda Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Chemistry and Biology in Karaganda
- Silver — Abu Kanabek, Almaty, Republican Physics and Mathematics School
- Silver — Alem Amenov, Abai Region, Bilim-Innovation Lyceum in Semey
- Bronze — Zhanibek Kassymkhan, Zhetysu Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Taldykorgan
- Bronze — Ulugbek Usmanov, Zhambyl Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Physics and Mathematics in Taraz
- Bronze — Islamnur Khusainov, Zhambyl Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Physics and Mathematics in Taraz
- Bronze — Dinmukhammed Yntykbay, Zhambyl Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Physics and Mathematics in Taraz
The result gave Kazakhstan two gold, two silver and four bronze medals and placed the country sixth in the unofficial overall medal standings.
Dauzhan Beketov makes history
The strongest individual result came from Dauzhan Beketov of Almaty.
Along with winning gold, Beketov finished second in the overall individual world ranking and entered the top three absolute champions of IOAI 2026.
He became the first representative of Kazakhstan to reach the podium in the Olympiad's overall individual standings.
The result is particularly significant because the overall ranking compares the strongest individual competitors regardless of their national team's total medal count.
Kazakhstan points to systematic AI training
Danabek Kaliazhdarov, Secretary General of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation, said the eight medals were the result of long-term work involving students, coaches, mentors and the country's broader competitive programming and AI education ecosystem.
«Today we are witnessing the outcome of the dedication of our students, coaches, mentors, and the entire ecosystem we have been building. It is especially symbolic that such an outstanding result was achieved at a home Olympiad. These eight medals represent far more than sporting success—they demonstrate that Kazakhstan is already nurturing world-class young AI specialists capable of competing on equal terms with the strongest students in the world. I sincerely congratulate every member of our national team, as well as their parents, teachers, and coaches, on this remarkable achievement,» said Danabek Kaliazhdarov.
How the national team prepared
The Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation led the preparation of the national team with support from the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and the Ministry of Education.
The students went through a year-long preparation process that included:
- A multi-stage national selection
- Intensive training camps
- Specialized artificial intelligence training
- Work with leading Kazakh coaches and experts
This system is designed not only to prepare students for a single international competition but also to build a pipeline of young specialists capable of competing globally in AI and related technology fields.
Why the result matters
Kazakhstan's performance is notable for both its scale and consistency. Winning eight medals is significant on its own, but a 100% medal rate means every student selected for the national team produced an international-level result.
The sixth-place position in the unofficial medal standings also gives Kazakhstan a benchmark for measuring its AI education system against other countries investing heavily in young technology talent.
Beketov's second place adds another dimension. Kazakhstan now has its first student on the overall individual podium of the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence.
For the country, such results can strengthen the link between school-level education, competitive programming and the rapidly expanding demand for AI specialists.
A home Olympiad ends with a historic result
The medals also provided a symbolic conclusion to IOAI 2026 in Astana.
Kazakhstan was simultaneously the host of the international competition and one of its strongest-performing national teams.
The result demonstrates that the country's ambitions in artificial intelligence increasingly extend beyond infrastructure and technology projects to talent development.
In a field where countries are competing for engineers, researchers and AI entrepreneurs, identifying and training specialists while they are still at school could become one of Kazakhstan's most important long-term advantages.
