12:22

The “Baku Marathon 2026,” initiated by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, kicked off on Sunday, bringing together thousands of participants under the slogan “Win the Wind.”

Axar.az reports the 9th edition of the marathon welcomes runners from different countries, including Azerbaijan, the U.S., China, Germany, UK, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Turkiye, and Ukraine.

The 42 km course is set to commence at the State Flag Square, with participants crossing the finish line in the Sea Breeze area. Dedicated finish zones will also be arranged for participants competing in the 10 km and 21 km distances along the approved route.

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Winners of the “Baku Marathon 2026,” held on May 3 on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, have been determined.

In the men’s race, Turkish athlete Ahmet Alkanoglu finished first, followed by Ukraine’s Vitaliy Shafar in second place and Kyrgyzstan’s Yrskeldi Akerov in third.

In the women’s category, Russia’s Elena Tolstykh took first place, while Azerbaijan’s Anna Yusupova secured second place and Kazakhstan’s Shirin Akimbay finished third.