Officials of the Qatar Telecom (Qtel) Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani (left), Director, Corporate Sales and Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari, Senior Director, Public Relations addressing the media during a press conference at the Qtel Headquarters in Doha yesterday. PICTURE BY: SALIM MATRAMKOT
DOHA: More than 1,200 runners will take part in the the Qtel Marathon, which takes place on January 26, organisers said yesterday.
Since the event was announced last year, there has been a surge of interest across Qatar, with runners from the wider region also signing up to take part.
Among those to compete will be Chris Arthey, in which Qtel Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani presented the “Number One” race bib to the Doha resident.
Arthey lost a leg in a road accident and has inspired countless runners around the world by participating in marathons on an artificial leg.
Sheikh Abdullah welcomed Arthey’s participation and wished all runners the best of luck. Arthey valued the gesture and said the race bib would be an added incentive to run well in the Qtel Marathon.
The Qtel Marathon will feature a 10km run and a half-marathon (21.1km), with plans to expand the race to a full marathon in 2014 and beyond.
“This year’s race is a pilot project, next year’s race race will be a much bigger event. We are confident that the Marathon will be one of the major event to be hosted in Qatar,” said Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari, Director, Public Relations of Qtel.
She said different members of the society and people of all ages have registered to take part in the event.
Al Kuwari said: “A lot of professional athletes, people with special needs, ladies and children will be taking part in the Marathon. It is a good mix.”
The Qtel organisers have chosen the date of the race as it takes place on the coolest week of the year.
As well as the huge numbers for the Qtel Marathon, there has been a strong interest in the under-18s Youth Run, which also takes place on Saturday.
Al Kuwari is delighted with the huge response. She said: “We have been delighted by the strong response to the Qtel Marathon, and are looking forward to an exciting race this weekend. Qtel supports a healthier lifestyle for all our customers, and we are preparing for the Qtel Marathon to be an annual event on Qatar’s sporting calendar.”
“In particular, we’re pleased to see so many children and young people set to take part in the Youth Run. The health and fitness of the next generation is important for all of Qatar,” she added.
Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Thani, Head of Corporate Sales at Qtel, said: “The response from Qtel employees and the wider public has been very strong, and we’re pleased to see so many people running. We would encourage people who are not taking part to come along and cheer the runners, and support their efforts in participating in this race.”
Funds raised from by the entry fees donated for the charity run will be donated to support the work of the Red Crescent in communities in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The Qtel Marathon is a celebration of health, charity, and commitment to corporate social responsibility. It is also one of a series of major events being held in the run-up to National Sports Day on 12 February 2013.
At the end of the run, the winners in the different categories of the adult race will be awarded with an iPhone 5 (16GB) for the first place, Samsung Galaxy S3 for the second place and iPad 3 (16 GB) for the third place. In total, there are ten categories based on age and gender.
The winners in the different categories of the Youth Run will leave with an iPod 64GB for the first place, iPod 32 GB for the second place and iPod 16 GB for the third place.
Car parking will be available for participants and supporters, accessible via the port gate next to the Museum of Islamic Art, which is around 400 meters before the main gate.
The participants have been advisted to arrive at least an hour prior to the start to collect their race packs and to warm-up.
THE PENINSULA
