Stage set for Dubai Marathon

Dubai: The stage is set for the biggest marathon event of this region. The Dubai Marathon will be flagged off at 7am tomorrow with the hope that a new record will be written to the history of this event.

"Our focus is on a new timing. It is high time we set a new mark in this event," remarked Ahmad Al Kamali, the Race President to Gulf News before the start of the official press conference of the event.

"We have flown in very good athletes this time and with the weather looking good, we are hopeful of a new record," added Kamali.

Last year's winners, Kenya's Joseph Kiprotech Ngeny and Delliah Osiago will defend their titles.

A record 6,000 professional and amateur runners will take part in the marathon, the 10km and 3km fun run.

Standard Chartered Bank is the title sponsor.

Nigel Jones, the Chief Executive Officer of the Standard Chartered Bank said that his bank is delighted to support this most popular event on the Dubai sporting calendar.

"This year's marathon will be the biggest and the best to date," assured Jones, who will also participate in the 10km race.

Answering a query from the Gulf News as to whether the ongoing road work will any way affect the marathon, Peter Connerton, the event director said: "The marathon runners will have a new route this time. The surface will remain flat but the route will pass through some of Dubai's famous landmarks."

This marathon will also become the richest athletics meeting ever to be staged in UAE with prize money of over $150,000 in the offing. The top two runners can also win Toyota Cars. Sponsorship support for this popular event has been outstanding. Dubai Holding has offered a Dh1 million for any athlete who can break the world record of 2:04.55sec.

The Dubai marathon record in the men's was set by Joseph Kahagu of Kenya in 2003 when he finished in 2:09.33 sec. The Dubai Marathon is no longer just a sporting event.

It has been a service to the society with the money generated from the event being donated for charity and promotion of athletics in the region.

The 3km race has been named the "Seeing is Believing Fun Run". This charity run is designed to collect donation to restore sight to ten million people over the next three years.

Paralympic champion Henry Wanyoike, who is the global goodwill ambassador for the programme, attended the press meet yesterday.

He is an inspiration for thousands of partially sighted and blind people and would take part in the 10km run tomorrow.

The organisers are creating a carnival atmosphere with special entertainment for competitors and their families tomorrow.