Who was Kojomkul – the Kyrgyz Strong Man

Ben Crowley

July 28, 2024

Located in the heart of Kyrgyzstan is a small village called Kojomkul. If you blinked while driving through it you would probably miss it. Maybe 20-30 buildings make up this small desolate town, but while the town may be small, the story behind it is big, in fact, the biggest.

Kojomkul, the town, was named after the famous Kyrgyz strong man, whose full name was Kojomkul Kaba Uulu. Born in 1888, Kojomkul was the strongest man in the entire country.

At 2.3 meters tall (more than 7.5 feet) and 165kg (more than 350 pounds), he was also the biggest man in Kyrgyzstan, and not surprisingly, was the national wrestling champion. He became famous in his region winning substantial prizes in his wrestling bouts, including a large amount of livestock, meaning his fellow villagers were not going hungry.

Kojomkul was also famous for his feats of strength. You can still see the large rocks and boulders he carried on his back, the largest of which was reportedly 680kg (1500lbs)! However, his most famous feat was carrying a horse on his back while covering more than 100 meters distance.

Kojomkul and his wife were also known far and wide for their generosity and charity. Always one to help those in the community, he donated most of his prizes and earnings to those around him in need. During World War 2, Kojomkul’s wife cooked food for the community to ensure everyone was feeling fed. This is another reason why his home village was named after him after his death.

During the Soviet period, he spent twenty years as the manager of a collective farm in the Suusamyr Valley in Kyrgyzstan.

The circumstances of his death in 1955 remain unclear. The most common story is that he fell ill after swallowing an insect, a rather unusual turn of events for a strongman.

In the village of Kojomkul, there are several attractions dedicated to his life that you can visit. The first is a large monument, partly made from boulders he carried (pictured above). There is then a small museum in the centre of town, and then finally his tomb where he is laid to rest.

Other than the village in central Kyrgzystan, there is also a large statue of Kojomkul in the capital, Bishkek. Centrally located and extremely impressive, the statue shows his claim to have carried a horse on his back (pictured right).