DUSHANBE, 23.04.2018 /NIAT “Khovar”/. The 2018 Dushanbe International Half Marathon dedicated to the Tajik Capital City Day took place on Sunday April 21.

Representatives of all regions of the country participated in this race.  Besides, athletes from fifteen countries of the world have been invited to participate in the upcoming half-marathon, according to the press center of the Dushanbe mayor’s office.

Representatives of some cities, which are Dushanbe’s sister cities, also participated in the event.

Tefera Goza from Ethiopia won the 2018 Dushanbe half-marathon and Darya Maslova from Kyrgyzstan was first among women, according to Asia-Plus.

This year’s event was the ninth edition of the race.  The Dushanbe International Hal-Marathon is the main event to celebrate the Tajik Capital City Day.  The Capital City Day is marked in Tajikistan on the third Saturday of April and this year it was marked on April 21.

The first Dushanbe International Half-Marathon (21.097 kilometers) took place in April 2010 and athletes from 14 Dushanbe’s sister cities participated in that race.

Besides, Dushanbe hosted the first kite festival this year on the occasion of the Capital City Day.  The festival entitled “Osmoni Dushanbe” (Dushanbe Sky) took place in Navrouzgoh Park in the area near the Waterfall.

The event was organized by Asia-Plus Media Group under support of the Dushanbe Mayor’s Office and the general sponsor of the festival was Obi Zulol, Tajikistan’s leading water bottling plant.

The kite festival that was held in Dushanbe for the first time showcased skill of fliers.  Besides, cheerful contests were organized on the sidelines of the festival.