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Sabina’s Ups and Downs: From Beautiful Athlete to Happy Mother
Although being an athlete relies on physical strength, endurance, and willpower, focusing on technique and breakthroughs rather than appearance, when an athlete possesses a charming appearance, they inevitably attract more attention. Kazakhstan volleyball player Sabina Altynbekova is one such athlete who became globally famous due to her beauty.
However, this once highly regarded beautiful volleyball player has seen a huge change in her life and image. Let’s take a look at Sabina’s journey of growth over the years and how she found herself again in difficult times.
The start of her fame: Beauty and figure become the focus.
Sabina comes from a family of athletes; her father is a skiing competitor, and her mother is an athletics competitor. Becoming an athlete seems to be her destined choice.
In 2014, she participated as a reserve member of the Kazakhstan national women’s volleyball team in the Asian Youth Women’s Volleyball Championship held in Taipei, Taiwan. Standing at 182 cm tall, with long legs and a perfect twelve-head proportion, along with her pure appearance and lively eyes, she instantly became the focus of the media.
At that time, Sabina’s beautiful photos spread wildly online, and her popularity skyrocketed. Although her performance on the court was not top-notch, she became the darling of the media due to her beauty. However, along with the praise came immense pressure.
Changes in Japanese women’s volleyball career and appearance
After becoming famous, Sabina received attention from all walks of life and was even invited to serve as a sports goodwill ambassador for Kazakhstan. However, her excessive exposure also sparked some controversies. The coach within the team expressed dissatisfaction with the media’s intense focus, believing it to be unfair to other team members. These external voices made Sabina’s sports career quite challenging.
Later, Sabina joined the Japanese GSS women’s volleyball team “Sunshine Team,” and as she developed in Japan, she gradually participated in more commercial activities, even acquiring a dedicated agent to arrange work for her, resembling a celebrity.
During this period, people noticed changes in her appearance, especially her thickening lips and pointed nose, which sparked discussions about her cosmetic surgery. Japanese media even accused her of “breaking down,” which dealt a significant blow to Sabina’s image and popularity.
Lost and Found: A Father’s Encouragement and Marital Happiness
Sabina’s experience in Japan caused her to lose direction for a time; external criticism and rumors about plastic surgery put her in a difficult position. However, Sabina did not let these setbacks defeat her. Her father provided her with great encouragement at this moment, helping her regain her focus in life.
Sabina decided to terminate her contract with the Japanese team and return to the Kazakhstan national team, reclaiming her identity as a full-time athlete. Meanwhile, she was also accepted into Al-Farabi Kazakh National University to study physical education and further improve herself.
In the low points of her life, Sabina found her ideal partner. In 2020, she announced her marriage to a businessman engaged in e-commerce. From the photos she shared on social media, their life appears to be happy and prosperous. Three years after their marriage, Sabina became a mother, welcoming a new chapter in her life.
Rewards of a tumultuous life
Sabina Altinbekova’s life is filled with ups and downs. From a rising volleyball star to experiencing loss and finding direction again, and now as a happy mother, her story tells us that everyone will encounter confusion and challenges in life. The important thing is whether we can timely adjust our mindset and find our own path.
For Sabina, despite the countless controversies surrounding her appearance and career, she now lives a happy life, perhaps having let go of her regrets about the past.