First ever Khankandi-Baku ultramarathon kicks off

The first ever Khankandi-Baku ultramarathon has started.

At the opening ceremony, the memory of the Azerbaijani martyrs was commemorated with a minute of silence, Azernews reports.

President of the Azerbaijan Athletics Federation, Javid Gurbanov, said that it is a great honour to organise such a marathon in Khankandi.

The Head of the Sports Department at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Elnur Mammadov, emphasised that they witnessed a historical moment in Khankandi.

Recalling that an international ultramarathon was organised for the first time in Azerbaijan, he congratulated everyone on this occasion.

"We express our gratitude to Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, who made us live to this day. May God have mercy on our martyrs," he said.

After the National Anthem of Azerbaijan was played, the marathon started. The participants of the race will reach the finish line in Baku after covering a distance of 380 kilometres.

The competition, organised jointly by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Azerbaijan Athletics Federation, is held within Sports Week and Green World Solidarity Year

A total of 64 athletes from different countries are participating in the marathon, including those from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Moldova, and Mexico.

Ultramarathon participants will reach Baku on March 4, crossing the Khankandi-Yevlakh (83 kilometres), Yevlakh-Ujar (84 kilometres), Ujar-Hajigabul (88 kilometres), Hajigabul-Gobustan (70 kilometres), and Gobustan-Baku (55 kilometres) stages.

The winners of each stage will be awarded separately. The overall winners of the ultra marathon will be awarded the grand prize.