Kazakh school team wins top honors at UK robotics championship
A team of schoolchildren from Astana captured overall title at UK First Lego League Championship, defeating 68 teams from around world
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — A team of schoolchildren from Kazakhstan has won the overall title at the FIRST LEGO League Championship in the United Kingdom, marking a major international achievement for the country’s young robotics enthusiasts.
The Astana-based ASTROBOT team competed against 68 teams from around the world and secured two of the tournament’s top honors — first place in the robotics game category and the title of best overall team, according to broadcaster 24KZ.
The competition marked the Kazakh team’s first appearance at the international tournament.
“We had everything ready, and everyone was 100 percent committed,” said Aili Adaibekova, an eighth-grade student on the team. “So we expected that we would come away victorious.”
Team member Yernur Yerken, a 10th-grade student, said the group had not expected to finish first among nearly 70 teams.
The students were recognized by judges for their performance in the “robogame” discipline, which required participants to use self-built and programmed robots to locate and retrieve ancient artifacts from the ocean floor.
In addition to the robotics challenge, the team presented an internet platform designed to support archaeology research in Kazakhstan.
“This season’s theme was archaeology, and the students had to solve a problem faced by archaeologists,” said ASTROBOT mentor Gizat Makhanov. “They realized there was no unified database of artifacts discovered in Kazakhstan, so they created a website where archaeologists, teachers, students and anyone interested can access information about those artifacts.”
According to the team, the project is already being used by archaeologists and by Alkey Margulan University.
Participants said the championship also became an opportunity to introduce Kazakhstan and its culture to students from other countries.
“During the tournament, we met many participants from England and other countries,” said Tair Tursynkhan, another 10th-grade student. “We exchanged contacts. It turns out Kazakhstan is known worldwide in robotics.”
Adaibekova said many participants expressed interest in learning more about Kazakhstan after meeting the team.
“Our victory wasn’t only about taking first place,” she said. “It was also about showcasing our country and culture.”
The students said preparing for the competition required months of intensive work and sacrifice.
“We prepared for this competition all year,” said Nuraim Yerbol, an eighth-grade student. “We had to miss some school because our goal was ambitious — to win — and we achieved it.”
Team members said support from parents, teachers and teammates played a crucial role in their success.
The ASTROBOT team said it plans to continue competing in international robotics competitions while promoting interest in science, technology and programming among young people in Kazakhstan.
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