Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 14 January, on the occasion of the celebration of the Day of Defenders of the Motherland and the 32nd anniversary of the formation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the military-patriotic race Men G’olib (I am a winner) was held, which opened the 2024 running season.

More than 1,000 runners started from the Humo Arena sports complex at distances of 3 km and 10 km. Not only representatives of the country’s armed forces, law enforcement officers, cadets of military educational institutions, but also professional athletes and runners took part in the patriotic race.

The main organizer of the sporting event was the Athletics Federation, the general partner was Uzbekneftegaz JSC, with the support of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the National Guard, the State Security Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the State Security Service, the Ministry of Digital Technologies , Ministry of Health, State Customs Committee, Agency for Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Youth Policy and Sports and Khokimiyat of Tashkent.

The patriotic race Men Gʻolib is traditionally held twice a year - to celebrate the Day of Defenders of the Motherland and the formation of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan and the Day of Memory and Honor. Since 2021, the Men Gʻolib race has been one of the most anticipated sporting events among representatives of law enforcement agencies, military personnel, and cadets of military educational institutions.

The heads of the law enforcement and military departments of the Republic of Uzbekistan arrived to support the team spirit of their employees. The opening ceremony of the competition was attended by Viktor Makhmudov, Secretary of the Security Council under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Chairman of the Triathlon Federation of Uzbekistan, Adham Ikramov, Minister of Youth Policy and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Major General Khamdam Karshiev, Deputy Minister of Defense, Zufar Kurbanov, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Colonel Sanjar Zuparov, First Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations, Sarvar Mamayusupov, Deputy Commander of the National Guard.

“The Men Gʻolib race is a landmark event for true patriots of their country,” Viktor Makhmudov noted in his welcoming speech, “The sports race has become a good opportunity to gather worthy representatives of each law enforcement agency at one starting point and pay tribute to their courage, valor and dedicated service in benefit of prosperity and development of Uzbekistan.”

For the first time, the number of applications for participation in the 10 km distance exceeded applications for 3 km, which indicates the growing popularity of running in Uzbekistan and a conscious approach to a healthy lifestyle. To develop the connection between generations and introduce the younger generation to the holiday of defenders of the Motherland, older children along with their parents joined the Men Gʻolib patriotic race, also running 3 km.

Competitions were organized in individual and team championships. In the team championship, 7 teams of law enforcement agencies and 6 teams of military educational institutions competed for the Men G’olib challenge cup. Among them were representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the State Security Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the State Security Service, the National Guard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the State Customs Committee. Teams of educational institutions are formed from among cadets of the Academy of the Armed Forces, the University of Public Security, the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Academy of the State Security Service, and the Institute of the State Customs Committee.

The winner of the Men G’olib team competition for the 4th time was the team of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The winners in the individual championship were:
3 km (men):
1.Nodirbek Mutalipov - 8:43
2. Otabek Toshkuvatov - 8:46
3.Hasan Mirsoatov - 8:47

3 km (women):
1.Maryam Tojiboeva - 11:03
2. Victoria Morozova - 11:25
3.Oidina Ikromova - 11:30

10 km (men):
1.Bekzod Baimatov - 32:31
2. Shahram Abdurakhmonov - 33:12
3. Mukhriddin Mirzaliev - 33:27

10 km (women):
1. Abdullaeva - 47:03
2.Laziza Temirova - 47:03
3.Diana Vyazikova - 47:04