Representatives of Derzhavin University – Chief Accountant, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor Mikhail Bespalov and student resident in Endocrinology Sifeddine El Bouanani – participated in the 2026 Kazan Marathon. This is the largest road race in Russia, held annually in the capital of Tatarstan since 2015.
This year, the number of participants reached a record high of 44,500 – residents from 85 regions of Russia and 37 countries took part. Professionals and amateurs ran distances of 42.2 km, 21 km, 10 km, and 3 km. The program also included children's races.
Representatives of Derzhavin University completed the marathon distances of 42.2 km and 21 km.
"I've been involved in sports since childhood, mostly team sports. I took up running in 2020 thanks to Vladimir Stromov, who actively developed amateur sports at the university. I started with shorter distances—3-10 kilometers—then moved on to a half marathon and two regional marathons. I participate in the Derzhavin Mile every year. This is my second time participating in the Kazan Marathon," commented Mikhail Bespalov, Chief Accountant at Derzhavin University. "The support of the fans is very important to me. We were a united team!"
Derzhavin University was also represented in the marathon by resident student Sifaddine El Bouanani. He is a professional runner and has won the Derzhavin Mile multiple times over long distances.
"I've been involved in sports for 20 years now, and I love long-distance running." "Thanks to my coach, Vladislav Kamenskikh, I was able to train and compete in polyathlon and track and field," says Sifaddine El Bouanani. "The Kazan race was a pleasure to run: the course was excellent, the weather was perfect. The marathon was a valuable experience for me, and the university's support was especially gratifying."
