Today, the traditional Turkistan Marathon – 2025 took place in the city of Turkistan. This year, more than 3,000 amateur and professional athletes ran through the streets of the sacred city. The marathon set a new record for the number of foreign participants — 365 international runners from various countries took part in the race.
At the opening ceremony, Turkistan Mayor Azimbek Pazylbekuly wished the participants success and emphasized the importance of the marathon in promoting mass sports.
“Welcome to the ‘Turkistan Marathon – 2025’ in the spiritual heart of our nation!
This is not only a test of the body but also of spirit and determination.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his Addresses, consistently highlights the importance of strengthening the nation’s health and developing mass sports.
The marathon is a celebration of a healthy lifestyle and unity.
Today, athletes from all across Kazakhstan and abroad have gathered here in Turkistan.
Such international events enhance the region’s tourism and sports potential,” — said the mayor in his speech.
Participants competed in distances of 42.2 km, 21.1 km, 10 km, 10 km Nordic walking, as well as a 3 km children’s race. The results of the competition are internationally recognized through World Athletics and AIMS certifications.
This year’s outcomes became the best in the history of the Turkistan Marathon – 2025.
- Andrey Petrov set a new men’s record in the 42.2 km category with a time of 2:16:58, surpassing the previous best result.
- In the women’s category, Ekaterina Tunguskova finished first with 2:40:45.
- In the 10 km race, Alisher Akmataliev set both a personal and event record with 30:31.
Thus, this year’s marathon will be remembered for three new records.
Most of the participants came from cities across Kazakhstan. The oldest athlete was 91-year-old Saliha Zigangerova. The largest groups of foreign participants came from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Russia, while others arrived from Asia and the Pacific region, Europe, North and Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.
At the closing ceremony, Mayor Azimbek Pazylbekuly honored the winners and expressed gratitude to all participants for their active involvement and contribution to promoting a healthy lifestyle.
It is worth noting that this year, the Turkistan Marathon was included for the first time in the Turkic Alliance of Long Runs (TAN) — a series of long-distance races held across Turkic countries. Thirty-five TAN marathoners took part in the Turkistan event, continuing their running journey across the Turkic world. Athletes who complete all five TAN stages receive a special award and commemorative medal.
