The Bishkek Snow Leopard Run 2025 will take place in the Kyrgyz capital on September 21, combining long-distance running with wildlife conservation. This year’s event will mark a milestone for the country, featuring Kyrgyzstan’s first-ever 42.2 km marathon.
Organized by the Public Association Nomad Sport, the race is part of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) calendar and has also joined the Turkic Alliance of Long Runs (TAN), the first such alliance in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
In addition to the full marathon, runners will compete in 5 km, 14 km, and 21.1 km races. All routes will begin at Bishkek’s central Ala-Too Square and pass through the city’s main thoroughfares.
Nomad Sport General Director Arslan Maldybaev said more than 5,000 runners are expected this year, including participants from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. “It is important to us that people learn about Kyrgyzstan and our symbol, the snow leopard, through sport. This is an opportunity to make a name for ourselves and become a magnet for sports tourism,” he told local media.
A portion of the entry fees will support snow leopard conservation. Proceeds from this year’s race will fund the purchase of telescopes for wildlife monitoring.
First held in 2019, the Bishkek Snow Leopard Run drew 3,600 runners from 20 countries in its inaugural year.
The event highlights the growing symbolic role of the snow leopard in Kyrgyzstan. In December 2023, The Times of Central Asia reported that President Sadyr Japarov had signed a decree officially designating the snow leopard as a national emblem.
