Kyrgyzstan leads Kazakhstan at halftime in kok-boru final

Kyrgyzstan led Kazakhstan 4-0 after the first half of the kok-boru final at the VI World Nomad Games in Cholpon-Ata.

Nurzhan Melisbek uulu, wearing number 10, scored the opening salym in the fourth minute and added another goal to make it 3-0. Kyyazbek Niyazov, number 8, scored in the sixth minute to extend Kyrgyzstan's lead. Baktygin Omurbekov, number 7, completed the scoring before halftime after making an impressive move past a Kazakh ulakchy.

The final began with a slight delay. Organizers admitted fans who had been unable to buy tickets and could not fit in the stands, placing them in side areas along the field. Tickets for the final had sold out several days earlier, while the arena holds about 10,000 people. The teams were due to continue their fight for the gold medals in the second half.