05.03.2015

My name is Orazbek Azamat, I was born in Kyzylorda region, Zhanakorgan district, also there, in the native aul I went to the first grade. On holidays we, mischievous children, often walked and knew all the secret corners of the native village. When I successfully graduated from the first grade, I hurried to my uncle`s house, where I spent all my free time. Together with my contemporaries, we invented different games and often loafed near the plant, located not far from my home.

That day we walked for a long time despite the rain. One man, who was walking near, asked to look whether the cattle went or not. There was a transformer near us, and when I climbed on it, I was stricken by powerful jolt of electricity and flung away on ten meters. Earth has the property to absorb the electricity and in such cases it is necessary to dip a person into the earth. My uncle buried me up to the chest, and my arms left outside. Sometimes I think that if my arms have been buried, I would not have denied them. My relatives drove me to the regional hospital, but I did not get proper care. When my mom took me to Kyzylorda city hospital, she was told by the doctor: “if you have taken him here earlier, it would be possible to save his arms, but now the time has gone”. I remember how I opened my eyes twice: the first time was in the regional hospital, I saw my charred arms and tied to beat the bed with my right hand, but I did not feel my left arm, the second time it was on the way to Kyzylorda hospital. I was in coma for two years and all this time my mom was near me, she did not lose hope for my recovery.

When I have been in coma, I had a dream: I was surrounded with white emptiness, I was sitting on the stone, and near me there is an aksakal. I talked with him. The only thing that I remember was that he encouraged me, he said: “you are too young, don`t give up, you have a bright future, your family will be proud of you”. After these words my life has totally changed: I have recovered and lived a simple life. After that my family moved to Almaty and I got to correctional boarding school #2. I combined study and swimming there. Thanks to persistent work I became a member of Kazakhstan team. I became a triple champion of Kazakhstan in swimming; in 2009 I won the second place on Paralympics in Tokyo; in 2013 I won the third place on the Open Championship in table tennis, which took place in Jordan, also in 2013 took the third place on Asian Paralympics on table tennis in Malaysia. Later I had the problems with health because of swimming – I don`t wear glasses during the competition, and chlorinated water caused my sight worsen. Also I had some problems with cardiovascular system, and gradually I moved from swimming to table tennis.

In 2006-2010 I was engaged in swimming, and since 2007 I am engaged in tennis. I started to play tennis a school – my schoolmates often left lessons to play tennis, and I was gradually involved in it. Earlier we filled points; therefore I was familiar with a tennis racket. When I became a member of a national team, it was really hard time, but I decided to move only forward. After two months I have already participated in Republican championship, which was held in Karaganda city. It was the most shameful moment in my life – out of 14 sportsmen I was on the 14^th place. After that I trained hard for a year and on Republic championship in Pavlodar and Shymkent I won the 1^st place. Then I joined the Paralympic national team, and visited Jordan, Malaysia. Later there had to be a trip to London, but because of the difficulties with registration of visa I could not go there.

My last trip was to Korea, Inchon city. The most pleasant impression was that people there are very sympathetic and open. Inchon is the clean, dynamically developing city, which is situated in half an hour from Seoul. The most ridiculous was the communication with Korean sportsmen – we laughed a lot, trying to say the words and to understand each other. During the trip volunteers helped us. They were students from Kazakhstan, who know Russian and Kazakh languages.

My goal is to finish my education and start a trainer`s work to help rural youth to master this sport. Now my goals are only plans and dreams, time will show us the reality. Except sports I am interested in art, I was involved in singing at boarding school. I dream to make a solo concert. When I was in Almaty I printed 500 tickets. My mom and all my relatives and friends organized my concert. I am indebted to my mom for everything, she was near my in difficult moments, she did not lose hope and she helped me to get on feet, therefore from earned 100 000 tenge, I gave her more than a half. That is how I managed to make a concert in native village.

In my life my mom and family are on the first place, also I manage to communicate with my friends and schoolmates. I am the first child in the family, so I feel a responsibility for my family. For unclear reasons my father left our family and went to another five years ago. Frankly speaking, I do not have an anger or offense on him. In my memory he will remain that kind and understanding father whom I knew in my childhood. There were a lot of changes since I went to college, when I won Foundation`s scholarship. I have a lot of friends on whom I can rely, also I have a girlfriend. People, who surround me, don`t perceive me as a defective man, I don`t feel pity and humiliating sympathy. I believe that people appreciate my personality and communicate with me on equals, because I never felt myself limited or unhappy. In the nearest future our national team will go to Brazil. In life my achievements support me, creativity rescues me in moments of bad mood, through versifications I get rid of any negative emotions. Also I have a dream to develop in musical sphere. My brother reads rap, and I want to develop my musical skills, combine our creativity and let out a single.