Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU) made an important contribution to the international promotion of Gaziantep with “Gurme Run”, Türkiye’s first gastronomy-themed half marathon. The event, held with HKU as lead partner and in cooperation with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, brought together athletes from Türkiye as well as Europe in Gaziantep within the scope of running tourism.
Bringing together sports lovers of all ages, Gurme Run attracted great interest with its different running categories. As part of the event, a free Kids Run for children was held on 13 September, and 5K, 10K, 21K (half marathon) and 21K Relay (three-person team run) categories were held on 14 September.
Along the race route, participants had an unforgettable experience with local flavour stops, cultural heritage points and entertainment areas with music. Thanks to the local products and the gastronomy guide offered in the race kits, the unique tastes of Gaziantep cuisine were both discovered and introduced to international participants.
Evaluating the Gurme Run Half Marathon, HKU Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan said: “As Hasan Kalyoncu University, we care equally about our students’ development not only academically but also in social, cultural and sporting fields. The Gurme Run Half Marathon, of which we are a partner, is one of the most concrete examples of this approach. This special organisation, which blends the unifying spirit of sport with Gaziantep’s UNESCO-registered cuisine, is also of great importance for introducing our city’s cultural values to the world. Strengthened by the support of the faculty members of our Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation and the voluntary contributions of our students, this event also reflects our university’s vision of instilling a sense of social responsibility in its young people. As HKU, we will continue to support projects in which science, art, sport and culture are intertwined.”
HKU Students Give Athletes Full Support on the Field!
At the Gurme Run Half Marathon, 50 volunteer students from HKU actively contributed to the organisation by taking on duties at different points of the race, while students of the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation provided massage and recovery support to athletes who completed the run at the finish area.
The Energy of Sport, the Flavour of Antep Cuisine
At the event, in which thousands of local and foreign athletes took part, Gaziantep’s UNESCO-registered cuisine combined with the dynamism of sport to offer participants a unique experience. Thanks to the local flavour stops, entertainment areas with music and cultural routes placed along the run, participants experienced not just a race but also an unforgettable festival of culture and flavour. Gurme Run offered its participants a unique experience with the local products in the race kits and the “flavour guide”. Runners from outside the city and from abroad discovered the richness of Gaziantep cuisine while walking the historic streets of Gaziantep.
A participation medal was given to all competitors in the International Gurme Run Gaziantep Half Marathon. Athletes who placed in the rankings were awarded prizes. At the ceremony, HKU Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan presented the awards to the top-placing athletes and emphasised the contribution of this special event, which brings sport and gastronomy together, to Gaziantep’s international brand value.
