Zayed marathon in US draws thousands

New York: The third Zayed International Marathon started yesterday in New York City under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

A number of UAE senior officials and members of the UAE diplomatic missions in Washington and United Nation headquarters in New York as well as New York City officials witnessed the launch.

All proceeds from the marathon, which is hosted by the New York Road Runners Foundation (NYRR) and sponsored by the embassy of the UAE, will go to the National Kidney Foundation in the United States.

More than 9,000 entrants from around the world, including 1,000 women, 29 runners from the UAE and a number of processional male runners, participated in the event which is held in appreciation of American doctors and excellence in kidney transplantation and in support of the fight against kidney disease.

"The organising committee decided to increase the prize purse to $20,000 [about Dh73,462] for breaking the record [that Paul Koech of Kenya set in 1997] up from $10,000," said chairman of the organising committee and member of the UAE diplomatic mission in the United States, Mohammad Saeed Al Kindi.

Non-profit

Founded in 1998, NYRR has become one of New York City's leading not-for-profit providers of physical education.

Previous editions of the event featured world-class and well-known runners and professional athletes, including Paul Kibi Tergat, a Kenyan, who is regarded as one of the most astounding long distance runners of the last decade, and Hendrick Ramaala, a South African long-distance runner and the winner of the 2004 New York City Marathon.