Paula Radcliffe: Dubai Marathon ‘one of the best’

Legendary British runner Paula Radcliffe was a special guest at the Dubai Marathon press conference ahead of Sunday’s race.

Dubai Marathon celebrates it's 25^th anniversary this year, with Radcliffe delighted to be amongst the event on media duties once again.

“It’s been great to be in Dubai and to be part of what is a truly wonderful spectacle,” said the three-time London Marathon winner.

“To see the growth of this marathon year-on-year is amazing, it feels like every year there is always more people participating and by the sounds of it, this year is set to have a record number of runners.

“The numbers show how big running has become not only in Dubai but all over the world as well and that’s something which means so much to me.”

One of the things that make the Dubai Marathon so special is that it’s not just a single marathon race. Alongside the classic 42.195 km full marathon, the event also features a 10 km race and a 4 km fun run.

This range of distances means athletes of differing abilities, from seasoned marathoners to beginners and families can all take part and enjoy the experience of race day in Dubai.

The multiple races create a festive atmosphere that goes beyond elite competition, making the Dubai Marathon weekend inclusive, energetic, and accessible for runners and spectators alike.

“I love how it’s organised here, it’s open to runners of all abilities and that’s great for the sport,” explained Radcliffe.

“It can take years of training to build yourself up to a marathon, so the 4k and 10k offer runners the opportunity to train in an actual race and perhaps work their way up to completing the marathon one year.”

One of the standout features at this year’s marathon is the grandstand finish set up on the parade grounds of the Dubai Police Academy.

This dedicated spectator area gives friends, family and running fans a dramatic, comfortable vantage point to watch runners who are taking on the full marathon, 10 km Road Race and 4 km Fun Run cross the finish line.

Added to transform the finale of the event into a festival-like atmosphere with better views, Radcliffe points to this addition as a big reason why the Dubai Marathon is one of most enjoyable in the world.

“It’s going to be an amazing experience for the runners out there, finishing with the fans all around you is something I used to dream about, so the fact that everyone who runs on Sunday gets to experience what that feels like is great and a testament to the organisers of the event,” Radcliffe continued.

“The finish line of a marathon is a great place to be, it’s where people suddenly realise they have done it, so to make that into as big of a spectacle as possible is special and why Dubai is seen as one of the best marathons."

Organisers have assembled one of the strongest elite fields in the race’s history as it celebrates its 25th edition, On the men’s side, headline competitors include Ethiopian stars like Gadisa Berhanu and Berehanu Tsegu whilst the women’s race features the likes of Fantu Worku and Anchinalu Dessie Geneneh.

Despite the star-studded marathon line-up, Radcliffe says she is particularly excited to see how the debutants perform with the emergence of new talent being a defining theme of the Dubai Marathon.

“The Dubai Marathon really is known for its debutants making a name for themselves,” she said. “The race here is really flat so it’s a nice place for people to make their debut and run a quick race which builds confidence.

“It really is a wide-open race in Dubai, there is some big names here this year, but I wouldn’t rule out someone new making a name for themselves.”