Almaty Marathon: the largest running competition in Central Asia to be held on 29 September 2024

On 29 September 2024, Almaty will host for the thirteenth time the Almaty Marathon, the largest running event in Central Asia. More than 15,000 athletes from 50 countries will be brought together at the start line and run through the city's most important landmarks. The start and finish venue is the Republic Square which already has become a tradition. Registration is already available at almaty-marathon.kz.

The Almaty Marathon offer the same distances: traditionally accompanying 10-km race, 21.1-km half marathon and 42.2-km marathon. The Nordic Walking fans can enjoy a 10-km distance and corporate participants can participate in the Ekiden Relay (42.2 kilometres divided into six shorter distances for six team members). The marathon routes run through the very heart of the city, allowing participants to enjoy panoramic views of the majestic Zailiyskiy Alatau Mountains and Almaty’s sights. Please visit official website to find detailed routes of the event.

It is worth noting that the running event is a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) which guarantees high quality arrangements and compliance with international standards. The marathon tracks are certified in compliance with the World Athletics standards. The event is organized by “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund, which has been actively engaged in the development of mass sports in Kazakhstan since 2012 and arranges more than 10 sporting events every year.  

The Almaty Marathon’s mission is to develop an active lifestyle, making sports affordable to everyone. The organizers also pursue a charitable mission: involve society in socially responsible projects and give everyone an opportunity to contribute to good deeds. For just 12 years, the Fund has implemented more than 30 charitable projects worth over KZT 277 million in Almaty and Almaty Region. For this time, the Fund has commissioned dozens of football fields, climbing walls, sports grounds and special equipment to develop sensorimotor integration, neuromuscular system and to adapt children to life in society. Please visit our website for more information.

Over the past year, the Fund raised a record KZT 65.5 million for 8 charitable projects for more than 1,377 children. Every year, as the number of marathon participants grows, the Fund increases charitable donations that enable Kazakhstani children to get involved in sports. About 14,000 runners from 44 countries participated in the running event in 2023. The idea of the fund is to promote the country’s image at international level. The Almaty Marathon’s contribution to the city’s economy is also significant: as the last year survey testifies, less than 1,000 participants made purchases worth US$ 16,800 (KZT 7.9 million tenge) during the two-day event. 39% of this amount was spent by foreign guests from other cities and countries.

Galimzhan Yessenov, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund, commented on the impact of the Almaty Marathon on the city:

“Initiating the Almaty Marathon, we set ourselves ambitious goals: develop sports, popularise the running culture and strengthen the image of the city. In 2012, a total of 2,500 runners took part in the event with this number increased 6 times in 2023. Almaty can rightfully be called the running capital of the region. Running has definitely become part of the everyday life of the citizens. Charity is no less important part of the project. We are proud of the fact that the marathon has turned into a large-scale event that not only unites people, but also makes a significant contribution to the development of mass sports.”

Saltanat Kazybayeva, Executive Director of the Corporate Fund, adds:

“The Almaty Marathon has long become not just a sports event, but a powerful catalyst for the development of the region by attracting tourists to the city and stimulating the growth of local businesses. Surveys conducted by our fund between 2019-2023 proved that taxes paid by companies co-operating with the marathon increased 3 times, from KZT 318.9 million to 873.9 million. It’s an interesting fact that 79.3% of non-resident and international participants plan to visit Almaty again to participate in the marathon. As world practice shows, repeated visit of the city by participants of various events often testifies to their plans to buy property or open a business in this city. This is clear evidence that the marathon has a significant positive impact on the city's economy.”

Registration for the marathon will be available on the website until 16 September 2024 or when the number of participants reaches 15,600 people, including 100 Ekiden teams.

Title sponsor: Kaspi.kz

Almaty Marathon Organizers: “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund, Krida Fitness Club, Sh.Yessenov Science and Education Foundation and multisports Youtube-channel #DifferentYou.