Dubai gathers the strongest champions in desert running at Al Marmoom Ultramarathon

Endurance running event featured two races and the participation of 430 runners from over 40 nationalities

Event organised by FittGROUP in collaboration with Dubai Sports Council was held at Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve

Ultramarathon sheds light on the Reserve as an eco-friendly sports hub and a unique destination for sports tourism

Al Marmoom area is among a range of sites being highlighted by the #DubaiDestinations initiative

The Al Marmoom Ultramarathon, organised by FittGROUP in collaboration with Dubai Sports Council, concluded on Saturday with the participation of some of the world's most powerful long-distance runners.
Featuring two endurance races, the running event which flagged off from the Expo 2020 Dubai Lake at Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, a key highlight of the #DubaiDestinations initiative, was attended by 430 contestants from more than 40 nationalities.
The event featured a 50km Desert Ultra Race for professional competitors and a 5km Dune Run for beginners.
Winners
Morocco's Ultramarathon world champion Rachid Almoravid won first place in the 50km race after finishing in 4:04:36, followed by Jordan's Salama al-Aqr, who finished in 4:10:27 hours, and Morocco's Rashed Amimi Al Amrani who finished third in 4:43:16.
In the women's category , Serbian Ivana Kolaric won first place after finishing in 5:06:03 hours, followed by Britain's Zoe Cresswell in 5:42:33, and Portugal's Clara Andre in 5:52:09.
In the 5km race on soft sand, Kenyan Paul Como finished first in the men’s category with a time of 22:30, followed by the UAE duo of Mohammed Al Hasani who came in second in 23:22, and Ibrahim Al Shamsi who came in third in 26:05.
In the women’s 5km category, Hungary's Ari Becker won first place in 35:36, followed by Hoshi Makrans in 36:19, and Greta Trippi in 37:25.
Many of the contestants came from outside the country to participate in the race from countries including Britain, Germany, Malta, Uruguay, Serbia, Russia, Kenya, Czech Republic and Uzbekistan.
The number of participants in the 50km race reached 110 contestants, including 91 men and 19 women, while 320 contestants participated in the 5km race, including 255 men and 65 women. The participants included 120 students from Zayed Military College.
At the end of the race, the contestants participated in planting 120 Ghaf trees around the Expo 2020 lake, to contribute to leaving a lasting legacy.
The ultramarathon sheds light on the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve as an eco-friendly sports hub and a unique destination for sports tourism. The Reserve is also among a diverse set of attractions being highlighted by the #DubaiDestinations initiative launched by the Dubai Media Council to showcase the exceptional experiences offered by the emirate.