Doha Marathon to be held on January 17

The Doha Marathon by Ooredoo will be held on Friday, January 17, starting at Hotel Park and taking runners along Doha’s picturesque Corniche. As part of the event, a full day for youth races, including kids and juniors, will also take place on Thursday, January 16 at Hotel Park.Four-time Olympic high jump medallist and three-time World Champion Mutaz Barshim was present at the press conference, which was also attended by Sabah Rabiah al-Kuwari, Vice-Chairman of the organising Committee. Al-Kuwari said: "The Doha Marathon has grown over the years to become a local and regional landmark and is already the largest sporting and community event in Qatar.”As for the Marathon categories, al-Kuwari said: "4 categories are included in the Doha Marathon: 5 kilometres, 10 kilometres, 21 kilometres, and 42 kilometres.Additionally, individuals with disabilities can participate in distances up to 21 kilometres, with free registration available for this category. He also highlighted the ongoing support for Qatari participants through the ‘Al Adaam’ category, now in its third consecutive year, offering special cash prizes. He further noted that the total prize pool will exceed one million Qatari riyals, including two Toyota cars to be raffled, with all race finishers automatically entering the raffle.Commenting on the number of expected participants, he said: "We hope to welcome 15,000 runners this year. We encourage everyone to participate in this edition, especially with the early bird discount, available until October 30 on our dedicated Marathon website. As we have traditionally practiced for the past 12 years, part of the registration proceeds of the Doha Marathon will go to charity.”Mohammed Essa al-Fadala, President of the Qatar Athletics Federation, said: "There is no doubt that the Doha Marathon by is one of the most successful sporting events, with new ideas and sponsors introduced each year.”He added that most Elite runners have indicated their preference to participate in the Doha Marathon by as the course is ideal, with fewer curves compared to those in European countries. The President of the Athletics Federation also announced that the top three winners of the "Al Adaam” category will be invited to participate in future marathons organised by the Federation. He concluded by stating that the next milestone would be for the Marathon to achieve Platinum Label.Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Interior, Major Fahad Bouhendi al-Harami, reiterated that participants’ safety remains the top priority and said that entry and exit points will be set up to ensure a smooth traffic flow.The Marathon Village will open on January 14, and participants can collect their race kits until January 16. The village will also feature a variety of entertainment activities for people to enjoy. A new feature has been added to this year’s Doha Marathon, as a full day of youth races will take place on Thursday, January 16, at Hotel Park.Each participant will also receive personal photos and videos immediately after crossing the finish line, along with a timing certificate to commemorate their achievement.