30 Years of ENU – 50 Kilometers on the Road: Abai Joly 100 Miles Ultratrail Held in Semey

For the fourth time Abai Joly 100 Miles ultratrail was held in Semey. This year, one of the event’s main distances was the 50-kilometer race “Kushikbai Asuy – ENU 30 Zhyl,” dedicated to the 30th anniversary of The L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

The anniversary race brought together running enthusiasts, professional athletes, and trail-running fans. Symbolically, the 50-kilometer route became part of a major sporting event celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of Kazakhstan’s leading universities.

The “Kushikbai Asuy – ENU 30 Zhyl” race started at Abai Airport. Participants followed the Semey–Karaul route to the Küşikbai Batyr Pass, testing their endurance, physical strength, and determination.

As part of the anniversary race, cash prizes ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 KZT were established in the “ENU – 30” and “ENU/Sociology – 20” categories. Participants also competed for special individual prizes established in honor of veterans and representatives of various professional fields.

One of the highlights of the competition was the presentation of the Grand Prix by the BURA Sports Club. Akim Yerkebai won the 50-kilometer race with a time of 3 hours, 37 minutes, and 20 seconds.

L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University was one of the event’s partners and supported the organization of the anniversary race. Winners, prizewinners, and finishers received prizes and commemorative gifts from ENU and the Kazakh Academy of Sport and Tourism.

The ultratrail was organized by the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of Abai Region, the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of Semey, Sociology Department of ENU’s Graduate School of Journalism and Social Sciences at, and the public association El Sport. The competition was supported by the Committee for Sports and Physical Culture of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republican Educational, Methodological and Analytical Center for Physical Culture and Sports.

The ultratrail program also included the three-kilometer “Bastama – No to Drugs” race, which started and finished at Abai Airport. A total of 64 amateur athletes took part in the race, competing in two age categories.

Shakarim University, as well as the online platforms MyStart and Bas Sport, also contributed to the organization of the event.

The “Kushikbai Asuy – ENU 30 Zhyl” anniversary race became part of the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of The L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, bringing together the spirit of sport, the pursuit of new achievements, and the idea of moving forward. Just as in sport, the development of a university is a journey that requires endurance, teamwork, and a constant drive toward new heights.