Kazakhstan competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's fifth appearance at the Summer Olympics in the post-Soviet era.National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan sent a total of 115 athletes to the Games, 74 men and 41 women, to compete in 16 sports. The nation's team size was roughly smaller by 15 athletes from Beijing, and had the second largest share of men in its Summer Olympic history. Men's water polo was the only team-based sport in which Kazakhstan had its representation in these Olympic games. Among the sports played by the athletes, Kazakhstan marked its official Olympic debut in tennis.Kazakhstan left London with a total of 13 medals (7 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze) , finishing twelfth in the overall medal standings. This was the nation's most successful Olympics with the most number of gold medals, surpassing its previous records obtained in Atlanta and in Sydney with three golds each. Four of these medals were awarded to the athletes in weightlifting, which is Kazakhstan's most powerful Olympic sport along with boxing. Among the nation's medalists were weightlifter Ilya Ilin, who managed to defend his Olympic title from Beijing, and triple jumper Olga Rypakova, who became the second Kazakh track and field athlete to win the gold after 12 years. Professional cyclist Alexander Vinokourov, who competed at his fourth Olympics since 1996, won Kazakhstan's first ever gold medal in men's road race.
