On October 8, 2026, the “Gabala–Khankendi” ultramarathon started
On October 8, 2026, the “Gabala–Khankendi” ultramarathon, jointly organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Athletics Federation, Baku City Circuit, the “Zafar” Running Club and the Gabala Region Executive Power, got underway in Gabala. The event participants first visited the monument to National Leader Heydar Aliyev, laid flowers at the monument, and paid tribute to the memory of the prominent statesman. The official part of the event, held at Heydar Aliyev Park in Gabala, began with the national anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan and a minute of silence in memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the restoration of the country’s territorial integrity. Addressing the event, Deputy Head of the Region Executive Power Ataya Osmanova welcomed the guests and noted that the sports and youth development strategy initiated by National Leader Heydar Aliyev is being successfully continued today by President Ilham Aliyev. She emphasized that Gabala hosts events of international significance, including summits and meetings attended by heads of state, international forums and music festivals, art exhibitions and sporting competitions, and wished the athletes success. In his speech, Elnur Mammadov, Head of the Sports Department of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, noted that the ultramarathon, being held for the third consecutive year, had been organized at a high level. He also stated that on the third day of the competition, participants would cover the 44-kilometer stretch from Barda to Aghdam, emphasizing that this number has symbolic significance in connection with the victory achieved in the Patriotic War. Maharram Sultanzade, Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Athletics Federation, noted that interest in the ultramarathon has been growing year by year, and that such competitions provide a significant impetus to the development of sports in the regions. A total of 97 athletes from Azerbaijan, Iran, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia and Lithuania are taking part in the “Gabala–Khankendi” ultramarathon, which started in Gabala. The marathon, taking place from October 8 to 11, 2026, requires participants to cover a distance of 190 kilometers and finish in Khankendi.
