Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov was born on May 6, 1951, in Tegistik village, Bayzak district, Zhambyl region.
He was the first Kazakh athlete to win Olympic gold in Greco-Roman wrestling, bringing honor to his nation and greatly raising its prestige.
In 1975, he became the champion of the Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR. He twice won the USSR Championship (in 1975 and 1980) and was a medalist six times. For nine consecutive years, he remained the undisputed champion at the All-Union Rural Athletes’ Championship — a nine-time champion! He also won the Kazakhstan Championship multiple times.
In 1981, he earned the title of World Champion. In 1982, he became the winner of the World Cup.
Honorary titles:
- Champion of the XXII Olympic Games in Greco-Roman wrestling (1980);
- Two-time USSR Champion (1975–1980);
- Winner of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR (1975);
- Silver medalist of the European Championship (1980);
- World Champion (1981);
- World Cup Winner (1982);
- Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1980);
- Nine-time champion of the USSR Rural Athletes’ Competition (1971–1979);
- Two-time winner of the USSR Agricultural Institutes Championship (1971–1972);
- Six-time medalist of the USSR Championships (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979);
- Winner of the International Tournament organized by the “Tul” Sports Club (Finland, 1981);
- Champion of the International Tournament in memory of Ivan Poddubny (1981);
- Winner of the International Tournament in Hungary (1982);
- Recipient of the FILA Silver Order;
- Recipient of the FILA Gold Order (2011);
- Recipient of the Order of Honor of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan (2011).
State awards:
- Order of the Badge of Honor (1980);
- Order of Barys, 1st Class (2011);
- Medal commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2011);
- In 2017, on the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, he was awarded the title “Hero of Labour of Kazakhstan.”
