Eldos Smetov declined the award for the sake of a schoolboy.

The Olympic judo champion Yeldos Smetov has become a laureate of yet another award, as reported by Caravan.kz.

On the eve of the New Year, a televised version of the program "Қызық Премия" aired on the "Khabar" channel. Its guests and award winners included not only show business stars but also athletes and ordinary Kazakhstani citizens. For instance, one of the nominations was won by a girl who donated her savings to help compatriots affected by flooding.

In the sports category, Yeldos Smetov, the holder of a complete set of Olympic medals, was predictably recognized as the best. However, he declined the award in favor of the champion of the 55th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO-2023) among school students, Sanjar Bisenali from NIS.

One of the hosts of the award ceremony, Marat Oralghazin, emphasized that Smetov, through his actions, demonstrated the importance of supporting talented compatriots who are striving for knowledge and the advancement of science.

You can read about how Smetov pursued his dream of Olympic gold here.