The biggest international marathon race that take place in Afghanistan, each year since 2015, open to all women and men, foreign and Afghan from all ethnic groups and provinces.

June 12, 2020

The Marathon of Afghanistan was the first international marathon to take place in the country and has been held each year since 2015. The marathon have been supported by Etisalat since 2016. The event is open to women and men, international and Afghan, people from all ethnic groups and provinces.

The race takes place in Bamyan province, a beautiful valley in the Hindu Kush which is a UNESCO world heritage site and has long been one of the safest provinces in the country.

www.marathonofafghanistan.com

From the beginning it has been very important that the event should be open to all who wish to participate. There are limits on capacity but otherwise we are determined to ensure that all races are as inclusive as possible, that women and girls are welcomed as well as men and boys, and that we try to bring together people from different regions and ethnic groups within Afghanistan, as well as those from other countries.

The marathon works closely with Free to Run and other organisations who are working to ensure opportunities exist for female athletes and role models, in sport and other activities.

Participant numbers have grown strongly and rose again in 2019 with the inclusion of the Mini-Marathon. Each year has seen at least 40% of runners being female, and they have come from more than a dozen different Afghan provinces as well as a wide range of international countries.