Kirkuk hosts marathon to promote environmental awareness

KIRKUK — A marathon in Kirkuk on Friday evening drew a large turnout from the local youth, with Amala Khudher winning the women’s race and Louay Saleh taking first place in the men’s event. The marathon aimed to highlight the importance of environmental conservation and was supported by the “Volunteer with Us” team.

Uday Awad, firector of youth and sports in Kirkuk, expressed his satisfaction with the event. “We participated in the Mall of Kirkuk Marathon alongside the Directorate of Youth and Sports staff. We look forward to organizing even larger marathons and competitions in the future.”

Ahmad Zangana, Director of Marketing and Media at Mall of Kirkuk, added, “The marathon, themed ‘Together to Protect the Environment,’ was a collaboration with the ‘Volunteer with Us’ foundation. Our goal was to spread messages of peace and environmental awareness, which we successfully achieved today.”

First-place winner Amala Khudher shared her excitement, saying, “Winning without any prior preparation feels incredible. I’m grateful for the support from the people of Kirkuk and the Peshmerga Sulaymaniyah Club.”

Captain Abdul Abdullah, coach of the Iraq national athletics team, praised the organization of the event. “The marathon was exceptionally well-organized, uniting participants from all walks of life in Kirkuk and giving amateurs a chance to compete with seasoned athletes from across Iraq.”