More than 6,500 applications confirmed for Kazan Marathon 2016

To date, more than 6.5 thousand applications for participation in a national running competition, the Kazan Marathon 2016. Test Yourself!, have been submitted. The event is dedicated to HIV and AIDS prevention, Director of the national competition Vadim Yangirov told reporters April 19.

"To date, participants from more than 30 countries declared for participation, more than 6,500 applications have been confirmed, over 8,000 people pre-booked their spots. We expect 10,000 participants," he said.

Yangirov told a correspondent of Tatar-Inform that about 30 percent of applications were from residents of Tatarstan (25 percent from Kazan), five percent - from residents of foreign countries, and the rest – from the Russian regions. It is noteworthy that most of Kazan residents claim over short distances.

Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister Vasil Shaykhraziev recalled that the first Kazan marathon held last spring gathered nearly 2,500 people from six countries.

"This is not just a sporting event, it is a campaign dedicated to combating HIV and AIDS. To some extent, we devote it to dead from this disease around the world and declare current spreading of the disease. People should check themselves and try not fall into the danger zone," he reminded about the features of the upcoming event.

In turn, Andrei Zlobin, the international HIV expert, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Center of Advanced Health Technologies, added that along with all participants, HIV-positive people to run ‘open-faced’. A team of 60 people has been gathered, each of them starts on different distances.

Zlobin said that the competitors to be able to pass the rapid HIV test.

Kazan Marathon 2016. Test yourself! will be held on May 15, the International Memorial Day of People Who Died from AIDS. Like last year, it starts and finishes at the Kazan-Arena stadium. The route will pass through the most important attractions of Kazan. In 2016, the running will be held at the distances of 42.2 km (a classic marathon), 21.1 km (a half marathon) and 10 km. In addition, GTO run for 3 km will be organized for the first time. Its results will contribute to passing the GTO standards.

The marathon will be attended by celebrities, politicians, community leaders, professional athletes. Thus, Head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova, Aide to Prime Minister Gennady Onishchenko, Vera Brezhneva, Stas Peha, Basta, Elmira Kalimullina athletes Ekaterina Gamova, Batu Hasikov and many others will take part in the event.