WATCH: Erbil holds seventh Int’l marathon with over 4,000 participants

The seventh Erbil International Marathon was launched early Friday morning in the capital of the Kurdistan Region, Erbil, with thousands participating in the event.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The seventh Erbil International Marathon was launched early Friday morning in the capital of the Kurdistan Region, Erbil, with thousands participating in the event.

The marathon consists of three different parts: a 42km race taking place around Erbil’s 60m road, a 12km run, and a 4km race around the capital’s Sami Abdul-Rahman Park, sponsored by Kurdistan 24.

Early in the morning, the 42k race began in light, dusty weather, with runners set to take four laps around Erbil’s 60m road.

First, second, and third placeholders in the 42k and 12k races will be awarded a trophy, accompanied by a monetary reward.

“Over 4 thousand people have registered their names so far,” Abdul-Star Yunis, head of the Erbil Marathon Organization and supervisor of the event, told Kurdistan 24 on Thursday. 

The 2018 event carried a message of peace in its slogan, and the number of female participants has increased compared to previous years.

“Dozens of foreign competitors from different countries have also submitted their names to be part of the event,” Yunis highlighted.

The winners were as follows:
Men’s 42k
Mustafa Farhad, from Turkish Kurdistan, Amed
Women’s 42k
Amal Khdr, from Kirkuk
Men’s 12k
Hussein Azizi, from Iranian Kurdistan
Women’s 12k
Farahnas Sdiq, from Iranian Kurdistan

The first Erbil International Marathon was held in 2011, with over 1,500 people participating, including foreign citizens who travel the world to run in one of the world’s oldest cities.

Editing by Nadia Riva