RWS RUN, Inclusion and Business: Ekibastuz Brought Together Runners from Across Kazakhstan

Industrial giant Ekibastuz is taking on a new role – a city meeting major international standards. The second RWS RUN Half Marathon challenged stereotypes about the industrial city: more than 1,100 participants, 8 countries – Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Canada, Italy, France and Germany – and stories proving that sport is becoming a driving force for change here.

International sporting events have long become an important tool for regional development. RWS RUN is becoming not only a sporting event but also an economic project for Ekibastuz.

In just two years, RWS RUN has evolved from a sporting initiative into a major public event that brings thousands of people together around the ideas of a healthy lifestyle, mutual support and regional development.

“RWS RUN reflects the philosophy of our holding company: creating space for development. We see Ekibastuz becoming a more active, modern and sports-oriented city. We are happy to be part of these changes and to make the city a more attractive place to live through our projects. I have been running for many years myself, and I am glad to see more and more people sharing the values of sport and an active lifestyle,” said Roman Pavlinger, First Deputy CEO of RWS KZ Holding.

The organizers of the half marathon – railway holding company RWS KZ, with the support of the Astana Triathlon Federation and the Akimat of Ekibastuz – once again received official IAAF/AIMS certification for the 10 km and 21.1 km courses.

This year, RWS KZ introduced a 1 km children's race for the first time, allowing young residents of the city to participate alongside professional athletes and corporate teams. The youngest runners were seven years old, while the oldest participant was 74-year-old Mubarak Baltabayev.

The participants also included children from the “Ümit” support center for children in need of special social services, who for the first time had the opportunity to take part in a major international sporting event.

“It was our first time taking part in such a large-scale event. I was very impressed. It was interesting to compete with other children my age. We want to participate again next year,” said Daniil Kolesnikov, a resident of the children's support center.

One of the most touching stories of the half marathon was once again the participation of Astana resident Kuanysh Beisekeyev and his son Arsen. For the second year in a row, the father took on the course together with his child with special needs. Last year, Kuanysh and Arsen became a true symbol of perseverance and determination to succeed.

“It was important for us to support Ekibastuz because this event only began to be held here relatively recently. We always support this kind of sport gaining momentum in Kazakhstan. Our family has always supported inclusion. By participating, we want to show that parents of children with special needs should give them opportunities to express themselves. It is wonderful for children not simply to stay at home, but to participate in events like this together with their parents,” he said after finishing the race.

This year, thanks to the new format, Kuanysh's daughter Midel also took part. She ran together with her brother. Stories like these form the emotional heart of the marathon, reminding everyone that sport brings people together regardless of age, profession, physical abilities or country of residence.

When the Entire City Becomes One Team

This year, key enterprises in Ekibastuz joined RWS RUN supporters. Employees not only took part in the race but also organized support points along the entire route, creating a corridor of encouragement for the participants.

Organizational and coordination support was provided by public associations and volunteer organizations, including Angel, Vita, Ekibastuz Medical College, LIDER.KZ, the Single Mothers Support Foundation, a search and humanitarian team, the Ekibastuz Youth Movement and JANA JASTAR.

The Half Marathon as a Driver of the Urban Economy

Hundreds of visitors from other cities and countries used hotels, cafés, restaurants and taxis, and visited retail outlets and entertainment venues. For small and medium-sized businesses, participating in the event as partners provided an opportunity to attract new customers and introduce themselves to a wider audience.

Zebra Coffee was one of the race partners.

“For us, this is both advertising and valuable experience at off-site events. At times like these, many visitors come to us, and if they like what we offer, they become our regular customers,” said Adil Andauov, Operations Director at Zebra Coffee.

Representatives of the sports business share a similar view.

“Last year, our store had only recently opened when the half marathon took place a couple of months later, so we came to Ekibastuz to try participating as partners. The event helped more people learn about us. The brand itself has been on the market for more than 10 years and supports similar initiatives in different regions,” said Bulat Ordabayev, owner of BMAI PVL.

Dozens of businesses participated in organizing and holding the event, including ASU, Run Club Ekibastuz, EKB Martial Arts Academy, Cafe Terra, Home Parq, Zebra Coffee, Izmir, BMAI PVL, The Garden, KENGURU children's goods store, Hyundai Ekibastuz, MIXUE, WOWLAND children's interactive park and Coffee BOOM.

A New Tradition for Ekibastuz

The half marathon demonstrated that Ekibastuz is capable of hosting international-level events, attracting visitors from different countries and shaping a new urban identity. Here, sport is becoming not only a competition but also a tool for social change, business support and strengthening the local community.

That is why RWS RUN today is much more than just a race. It is the story of a city confidently moving beyond its traditional boundaries and opening up new opportunities for its residents and visitors.