Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- This morning, the Yangi Nafas sports race was held simultaneously in eight cities of Uzbekistan, timed to coincide with the celebration of the Youth Day of Uzbekistan and the International Sports Holiday Olympic Day.

Under the slogan "One country, one start, one distance, one goal - we run together!" over 20 thousand people in Chirchik, Gulistan, Ferghana, Namangan, Jizzakh, Samarkand and Shakhrisabz took part in the Yangi Nafas race. Tashkent received over

Five thousand participants of the Yangi Nafas race. Schoolchildren and students, public figures and entrepreneurs, athletes and just runners joined the sports festival. Famous athletes such as Oksana Chusovitina, Asal Saparbayeva, Ravshan Irmatov, Dilshod Sobirov, Ruslan Nuriddinov and Akbar Juraev ran with the participants.

At the opening of the event, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, addressed the participants of the race with a welcoming speech. In his video message, he congratulated everyone on the International Olympic Day, which today unites 205 countries - participants of the IOC, and called on the younger generation to make sport an integral part of their lives.

The leadership of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, the Ministry of Sports Development and the Agency for Youth Affairs also made a welcome speech. It was noted that the celebration of Youth Day, initiated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in 2017, is designed, among other things, to strengthen the desire for an active and healthy lifestyle in the minds of young people.

During the race, Sport TV channel organized a live broadcast of the first simultaneous Yangi Nafas race in Uzbekistan in the regions. On the territory of the Humo Arena square in Tashkent, an online broadcast of the race was carried out in each of the participating cities.

“The organization of the Yangi Nafas sporting event in a new format of a simultaneous race made it possible to cover more cities and regions,” said Kamoliddin Ruzimuhammedov, Secretary General of the Athletics Federation, “The technical preparation for the competition took a lot of time and required a more thorough approach to the organization, but at the same time, we were able to attract active and talented young people in the regions to mass sports.”

Careful preparation of the sports track ensured the possibility of safe and comfortable participation for runners with disabilities. With the support of the Ministry of Justice in each region, public associations of people with disabilities took part in the race.

A team of referees led by Khasan Artykov, a sports development monitoring specialist of the Athletics Federation, conducted the refereeing in accordance with the approved rules of the International Association of World Athletics for mass sports events.

The first place in the Tashkent race was taken by Shakhrom Abdurakhmanov and Angelina Nasibullina with the results of 9:31:81 and 12:58:63. In addition to the main prizes, the organizers established special nominations "For the will to win", "The youngest participant", "The oldest participant". All winners in Tashkent and the regions received valuable prizes and memorable gifts.

The main organizers of the Yangi Nafas race are the Tashkent city administration, the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, the Ministry of Sports Development, Uzbekneftegaz JSC, the Ministry of Justice, the Agency for Youth Affairs, the National Olympic Committee, the Athletics Federation, the khokimiyats of the cities participating in the race.

The Yangi Nafas sports festival ended with a dance flash mob and a concert program with the participation of pop stars.