✚ KASYM OTEGENOV ✚

Kasym Otegenov is a retired badminton player from Kazakhstan. He is Ruslan Ilyakov's coach. As an athlete, he specialized in singles and was left-handed.

The two left for America after Ruslan suffered a knee injury in a match against no. 1 ranked player Lin Huafeng during the 2023 World Championships, determined to get good medical treatment so Ruslan may play again.

The trip proved to be a rather troublesome endeavor for Kasym, with Ruslan constantly running off with a retired American jockey, whom Ruslan insisted was "a friend". Consequently, Kasym found himself constantly having to help Ruslan dig himself out of trouble. Though he can speak English, Ruslan pretends he doesn't, as he is prone to getting irritated by what he calls "American nonsense". As such, Kasym handles most interaction with strangers.

Kasym is the only person capable of controlling Ruslan's hot blooded genius, and the only person whose orders he will follow. Unlike his pupil, Kasym is level-headed and calm. He is rarely nervous or stressed.