Athletics in the Gulf states is gathering pace, the latest development being the world’s richest Half Marathon in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, in two weeks’ time. The race takes place on Friday 9 February, and Paul Tergat of Kenya, the world marathon record holder will be guest of honour, and recipient of a projected US$50,000 for his children’s charity back home in Kenya.
Had Tergat chosen to compete – he is preparing other events - he would have been pushed by a stellar field, headed by former World champions at the distance, Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania and Paul Kosgei of Kenya. The women’s favourite is Berhane Adere of Ethiopia, a former World 10,000 metres champion, and winner of last Autumn’s LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.
The athletes will compete for a winner’s prize of USD $20,000, out of a total purse of US$155,000, the biggest ever for a Half Marathon. The race is part of a move to put Ras Al Khaimah on the sporting map alongside Qatar, which recently hosted a successful Asian Games, and Dubai, whose Marathon is now a fixture on the international calendar.
The Gulf states will be well represented in the Ras Al Khaimah ‘half’, by two gold medallists from the Asian Games in December. Hasan Mahboob of Qatar, won the 10,000m in Doha, and his colleague, Mubarak Hassan Shami, won the Marathon.
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi, President of the RAK International Half Marathon Organising Committee, said: “We are pleased and delighted to have Paul Tergat as the Guest of Honour His presence will be a key factor in raising the profile of the race in the international sporting arena and will go a long way in promoting Ras Al Khaimah as an exciting sporting destination.”
Pat Butcher for the IAAF
