Abu Dhabi Marathon

The Abu Dhabi Marathon (also known as the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual road-based marathon hosted by Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, since 2018. The marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. During the race weekend, a 10K race, a 5K race, and a 2.5K fun run are also offered.

History

The inaugural race was held on . The marathon was won by Kenyan runner Marius Kipserem and Ethiopian runner Ababel Yeshaneh, with finish times of 2:04:04 and 2:20:16, respectively. Roughly 10,000 people took part in the event. The marathon had a large prize fund, with 100,000  USD being awarded to each of the two winners.

Shortly after the inaugural race, observers speculated that the course was short, with many runners finishing with significant negative splits and personal records. One person noticed that the times being recorded for the stretch between the and marks were unusually fast. Two months later, marathon experts Sean Hartnett and Helmut Winter measured the course and concluded that, due to an incorrectly indicated turnaround point, the "34th kilometer asbetween 195.8 and 199.6 meters short". World Athletics does not include either winning time in its lists of all-time fastest outdoor marathons.

The men's marathon of the second edition of the event, held on , was unexpectedly won by Kenyan pacemaker Reuben Kipyego. Although Kipyego was expected to set the pace for the lead pack and then drop out of the race around the mark, none of the elite runners had kept up with Kipyego by that point. Still feeling good and finding the race conditions ideal, Kipyego finished the race with a negative split, running a personal best of 2:04:40, nearly two minutes faster than the second-place finisher. His compatriot Vivian Kiplagat also set a personal record with her winning time of 2:21:11, and both runners were each awarded 100,000 USD for their victories.

The 2020 edition of the race was postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of obtaining an entry fee refund (minus an administration fee).

On , the men's marathon was again won by a pacemaker. After setting the pace for the lead pack, Kenyan runner Timothy Kiplagat eventually found himself alone at the front, so he decided to finish the race and won it by over four minutes. Kiplagat's finish time of 2:05:20 was a personal best. Bahraini runner Eunice Chumba won the women's marathon with a finish time of 2:20:41.

Course

The marathon runs on a loop course that begins and ends at ADNOC Headquarters. Runners first head southeast to Wahat Al Karama, roughly following the southern edge of the island. The course then heads back northwest, passing by the World Trade Center Abu Dhabi on its way to the Corniche. Marathoners then head northeast for a short out-and-back leg before running the last roughly southwest along the Corniche to return to the finish area.

The shorter races are run largely along the Corniche.

Winners

Key: Course record (in bold)

Notes

References

External links

Official website

{{World Athletics Label Road Races

2018 establishments in the United Arab Emirates
Annual sporting events in the United Arab Emirates
December sporting events
Marathons in the United Arab Emirates
Recurring sporting events established in 2018
Sports competitions in Abu Dhabi
Winter events in the United Arab Emirates