Alzhan Musurbekuly Zharmukhamedov (alternate spelling: Alzan Zarmuhamedov) ( kk, Әлжан Мүсірбекұлы Жармұхамедов, ''Áljan Músirbekuly Jarmuhamedov''; russian: Алжан Мусурбекович Жармухамедов; 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 (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.

Soviet Union national team

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

Almaty Almaty (; kk, Алматы; ), formerly known as Alma-Ata ( kk, Алма-Ата), is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population of about 2 million. It was the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to ...

(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 ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

, 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 of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

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 The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

, 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, 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.Умер олимпийский чемпион по баскетболу 1972 года Алжан Жармухамедов

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) Champion:

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...

* 2×

USSR Cup The Soviet Cup, or USSR Cup (russian: Кубок СССР),, be, Кубак СССР, uz, СССР Кубоги, kk, КСРО Кубогы, ka, სსრკ თასი, az, ССРИ кубоку, lt, TSRS taurė, ro, Cupa URSS (Moldova ...

Winner: 1972, 1973 *

FIBA European Selection FIBA All-Star Games were all-star basketball exhibition games, which were also known as "FIBA Festivals". The "FIBA Festival All-Star Games" were held from 1964 to 1995. The FIBA European Selection teams won most of the FIBA Festival All-Star Ga ...

: 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 teams. It was hosted by Yugoslavia in Sarajevo, Split, Karlovac, Skopje and Ljubljana, from 10 to 24 May 1970. It was ...

: *

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 ...

: *

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 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phil ...

: : *

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

: * EuroBasket 1979:

References

External links

FIBA ProfileBasketball-Reference.com 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 of 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 athletes FIBA EuroBasket-winning players People 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