How technology will ensure the successful conduct of the Almaty Marathon for 16,000 participants

Behind the mass start of 16,000 participants is a technological infrastructure that helps monitor the situation on the course, coordinate services, record the results of thousands of runners, and broadcast the competition live.

On the eve of the start, we tell you how this system works – from cameras and radio communication to electronic timing, an analytical dashboard, and live broadcast.

Event Control Center

During the Almaty Marathon, the work of services is coordinated by a single control center. It includes representatives of the Almaty Police, a representative of the Ambulance Station, the chief doctor of the start, and the organizing team.

The situation on the course is monitored in real-time using city cameras located along the route. Key services, including volunteers and medical teams, are connected via a unified radio communication system. If necessary, the police can quickly organize a “green corridor” for ambulances.

How a signal from the course turns into action

If a participant feels unwell, the signal is sent to the control center. The team locates the call site using city cameras, clarifies the situation, and sends a bike medic or an ambulance crew there. If necessary, together with the police, they organize a “green corridor” through the flow of runners.

These same cameras help control road closures and quickly clear the way for emergency services heading to other city calls.

How medical support is organized

Seven medical tents operate along the route, and two more are located at the finish line. Medical volunteers are on duty every 500 meters.

In total, 84 medical volunteers, 16 bike medics, 40 doctors of various specialties, and 12 ambulance crews are involved at the start.

How the movement of thousands of participants is tracked

The Almaty Marathon uses the MYLAPS BibTag electronic timing system. Each participant’s race bib is equipped with an electronic tag with a unique identifier.

Reading mats and decoders from MYLAPS are installed at the start, finish, and control points. When crossing a point, the system recognizes the tag and records the passage time.

Participants are tracked not by GPS, but by control points. Data is transmitted almost in real time, so timekeepers see intermediate times, finish times, and any missed control points.

Where the data goes

Timing data is combined with participant registration information and stored in a database. Based on this, intermediate and final results, pace, and other indicators are generated.

Yandex DataLens is used for analytics. The dashboard shows the number of starters and finishers, distribution by distance, gender, and age, average finish time, participant geography, running club statistics, and other metrics.

The entire data path looks like this: chip → MYLAPS control point → decoder → timing system → database → Yandex DataLens dashboard

How the live broadcast is organized

The Almaty Marathon features a live broadcast of the competition. This format is also used by the corporate foundation “Courage to Be First” at other major starts – it is a unique practice among running events in Kazakhstan.

Leaders on the course are accompanied by motorcycle operators, allowing viewers to follow the race throughout the entire distance. The broadcast shows intermediate results, the course map, and other competition data in real time, with commentary provided by hosts.

International status of the start

In 2026, the Almaty Marathon will bring together 16,000 participants from more than 60 countries. It is the largest running event in Central Asia.

The Almaty Marathon is included in the international calendar of AIMS – the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. Four starts from Kazakhstan are represented in it – Almaty Marathon, Almaty Half Marathon, Astana Half Marathon, and Turkistan Marathon. All of them are organized by the “Courage to Be First” foundation.

How the marathon course is measured

The course is measured by an AIMS/World Athletics accredited measurer using a bicycle equipped with a Jones Counter. Before measurement, the bicycle is calibrated on a precisely measured section to determine the correspondence between the counter readings and the distance.

Then, the measurer rides the route along the shortest possible trajectory, taking into account turns, U-turns, start, and finish. A coefficient of 0.1% is applied to ensure the distance is not shorter than declared.

After measurement, the bicycle is rechecked on the calibration section, and the final length of the course is calculated.

What happens after measurement

The measurer prepares an official report with a route map, calibration data, and measurement results. After document verification, an AIMS/World Athletics measurement certificate is issued for the course.

It confirms that the distance has been measured according to international standards and is one of the necessary conditions for international recognition of results.

Based on the certified scheme, the start, finish, turns, and kilometer markers are fixed, as well as timing control points, feeding stations, medical services, and other infrastructure.