Kazakhstan’s only certified coach and judge in aerobic gymnastics shows others how she helped a little-known sport find its place
The global sports landscape is witnessing a surge in emerging disciplines, as countries look beyond traditional athletics to diversify their national programs and attract younger, more digitally engaged audiences. From breakdancing debuting at the Paris 2024 Olympics to the global rise of parkour, drone racing, and teqball, these once-niche activities are now receiving mainstream attention, funding, and structured pathways for athletes.
Among these, aerobic gymnastics is carving out a space of its own. Often confused with fitness or dance aerobics, this is a separate discipline governed by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). It combines choreography, acrobatics, musicality, and intense physical control. Think of it as where gymnastics meets dance theater, judged with the rigor of Olympic sport. While not yet on the Olympic program, it’s already recognized globally and gaining a foothold in countries looking to expand youth engagement in sport.
In 2023, Kazakhstan awarded its first-ever “Master of Sport” title in aerobic gymnastics, a sign that the country was beginning to take this new discipline seriously. It’s not a coincidence that the athlete who received it trained under Diana Zhakisheva. As the founder and head coach of the country’s first professional aerobic gymnastics school, she has created both the structure and the spark for the sport’s local growth. Under her leadership, athletes have gone from learning basic routines to competing (and winning) on international stages.
Diana is also Kazakhstan’s first certified international judge with the FIG, a role that enables her students to participate in officially sanctioned FIG competitions, which require national-level judges to be present.
What It’s Like to Build a Sport with No Guide
Bringing a new sport into a country isn’t just a logistical challenge. First of all, it is an emotional one. It means facing doubts from all sides: parents unsure if it’s worth the time, officials who don’t see it as serious, and even students who aren’t sure what they’re signing up for. When Diana Zhakisheva began her work in Kazakhstan, aerobic gymnastics wasn’t on anyone’s radar. There was no federation to turn to, no training materials, no coaching network. “Back then, most parents hadn’t even heard of aerobic gymnastics,” she recalls. “I had to explain it as something like fitness or dance. But once the kids tried it, they lit up.”
When you start a new venture, a program, a sport, or whatever else, you have to invent everything for that, even the teaching approach. With no national team or official benchmarks to follow, Diana pieced together a method from scratch, borrowing principles from rhythmic and artistic gymnastics. Although the first international trip in 2019 ended without medals, the real win was showing up. “It gave us something to aim for,” she says.
By 2023, they made a step from showing up to winning. Her 12–14-year-old team took gold in Prague’s Aerodance category, earning praise for their choreography, musicality, and stage presence. Among 111 soloists, her athlete Lena Myan placed first. “Every competition teaches you something,” Diana says. “But this one showed us we belonged.”
Training That Grows with the Kids
Diana’s school now operates like a miniature national program. Athletes as young as five join beginner groups. By the time they’re nine, they’re competing abroad. In Portugal (2024), Kazakhstan took home silver and bronze in nearly every major category: boys’ solos, mixed pairs, trios, and group routines.
Such results require a strong structure. In a country where formal systems around the sport are still being built, having a clear developmental pathway matters. It gives young athletes not just a place to train, but a sense of direction: what to aim for, how to progress, and when to push further. And it protects them from burnout, too, by setting challenges that match their stage of growth.
Diana and her team continuously refine routines, adjust lineups, and evolve the choreography even just weeks before competition. “That flexibility is what made the victories possible,” she says. Behind each podium finish is a web of coaches, choreographers, and parents working in unison.
“In youth sports, it’s easy to focus on medals,” she explains. “But success is often the result of daily practices, small corrections, and trust built over time. That’s what makes a program last and what makes young athletes come back stronger, year after year,” Diana adds.
A Different Way In
In Kazakhstan, most sports have lots of steps regional tryouts, qualifiers, and strict selection. But with Diana’s school, aerobic gymnastics follows a different path. “We don’t have to stand in line,” she says. “Since we’re the only school, our kids can go straight to international competitions.”
While that access creates opportunity, it also brings pressure: local coaches must prepare athletes for world-class events without the ecosystem of national benchmarks. Diana has responded by setting her own standards and continuously exceeding them.
Her athletes now travel to up to four competitions a year, often across Europe. Each trip demands planning, funding, and high-level coordination. “Sometimes it feels like managing a federation from one office,” she comments. “But the kids are worth it.”
More Than Medals
Diana Zhakisheva’s long-term vision isn’t limited to one school or generation. She wants to see a national league. State-recognized coaching certifications. A path for athletes to pursue careers in the sport. “Some of my students now tell me they want to become coaches too,” she says. “That’s when I know this isn’t just a phase. It’s a movement.”
Formal recognition is a key part of that shift. In 2023, Kazakhstan awarded its first official “Master of Sport” title in aerobic gymnastics to one of Zhakisheva’s students. Since then, more than ten others have followed. These titles show that the sport is finally being taken seriously. And that kids who love it can see a real future in it.
There’s still work to do. Travel costs remain a barrier. The shortage of trained coaches slows expansion. But the heavy lifting is done. What once felt like a solo mission now feels like a relay.
