Alzhan Musurbekuly Zharmukhamedov (alternate spelling: Alzan Zarmuhamedov) (, ''Áljan Músirbekuly Jarmuhamedov''; ; 2 October 1944 – 3 December 2022) was a Kazakh professional basketball player and coach. He was considered to be the first ethnic Kazakh to become an Olympic champion.

Playing career

Jarmuhamedov played club basketball with

CSKA Moscow CSKA Moscow () is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. It was created in 1911 in the Russian Empire on base of OLLS (Skiing Society, founded 1901). Later, during the Soviet Union, Soviet era, it was the central part of the Armed Forces (sports ...

(1970–1980). In 1971, he earned the title of Master of Sports of the USSR, International Class, and a year later, he was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.

National team career

While being young and driven by feelings of patriotism, Jarmuhamedov moved to

Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...

(Alma-Ata at that time), in order to compete with the senior Kazakh SSR national basketball team. However, not being able to find any support, he finally decided to move to

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

, where he was eventually able to earn world fame as a basketball player. He served as the team

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

of the senior combined national basketball team of the Soviet Union for a long period. He won a gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games, while playing with the senior Soviet Union national basketball team.

Coaching career

At the tail end of his career, Jarmuhamedov worked as a

player-coach A player–coach (also playing coach, captain–coach, or player–manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. Player–coaches may be head coaches or assistant coaches, and they may make chang ...

, until he reached the age of 45.

Personal life and death

Zharmukhamedov's father was Kazakh and his mother was Ukrainian of Zaporozhian Cossack descent. Zharmukhamedov lived in Moscow. He died on 3 December 2022, at the age of 78. He was buried in the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery on 7 December.

Awards and accomplishments

Club career

* 10× USSR Premier League Champion: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 * FIBA European Champions Cup (

EuroLeague The EuroLeague is a European men's professional basketball club competition. The league is widely recognised as the top-tier and the most prestigious men's basketball league in Europe. The league consists of 20 teams, of which 16 are given lon ...

) Champion:

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...

* 2× USSR Cup Winner: 1972, 1973 * FIBA European Selection: 1972

Soviet senior national team

* EuroBasket 1967: *

1970 FIBA World Championship The 1970 FIBA World Championship was the 6th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. It was hosted by Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia in Sarajevo, Split, Croatia, Spli ...

: *

EuroBasket 1971 The 1971 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 1971, was the seventeenth FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship, held by FIBA Europe. Venues First round Group A – Essen Group B – Böblingen Knock ...

: * 1972 Summer Olympic Games: *

EuroBasket 1975 The 1975 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 1975, was the nineteenth FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship, held by FIBA Europe. Venues First round Group A – Split Group B – Karlovac Group C ...

: * 1976 Summer Olympic Games: : *

1978 FIBA World Championship The 1978 FIBA World Championship was the 8th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. The tournament was hosted by the Philippines from October 1 to 14, 1978 in Rizal Memorial Coliseum in ...

: * EuroBasket 1979:

References

External links

FIBA Profile
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zharmukhamedov, Alzhan 1944 births 2022 deaths Kazakhstani people of Ukrainian descent Centers (basketball) Soviet basketball coaches Soviet men's basketball players 1970 FIBA World Championship players 1978 FIBA World Championship players PBC CSKA Moscow players Olympic basketball players for the Soviet Union Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union Olympic bronze medalists for the Soviet Union Basketball players at the 1972 Summer Olympics Basketball players at the 1976 Summer Olympics Armed Forces (sports society) sportspeople FIBA EuroBasket–winning players Sportspeople from Turkistan Region Olympic medalists in basketball Kazakhstani basketball coaches Kazakhstani men's basketball players Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR Burials at the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery