The 2020 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is expecting to see a record number of Emiratis line up at the start on 24th January, 2020, alongside some of the world’s greatest elite marathon athletes, thanks to the viral “#My City_My Race” campaign.

Organised under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is the largest mass participation sports event in the Middle East.

Now in its 21st year, the Dubai Marathon, which is the first and only IAAF Gold Label Marathon in the Middle East, will see participants compete along the same iconic route on Jumeirah Beach Road as the past few years.

Competitors will be spread across three races – the 4km Fun Run, the 10km and the traditional Marathon – and runners of all abilities can still register through the Dubai Marathon official website.

“The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is the biggest mass participation sports event in this part of the world, with the number of participants exceeding 30,000 in the past few years,” said Khalid Al Award, Director of Dubai Sports Council’s Sports Events Department, at yesterday’s press conference at the Dubai Sports Council.

“Thanks to a number of initiatives launched under the guidance of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, we have seen more and more people embrace a physically active lifestyle and take part in events in big numbers,” he added.

Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary-General of Dubai Sports Council, was also present at the press conference, alongside Peter Connerton, Event Director of Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, and Mohamed Sabah Al Khalaf, Chief Information Security Officer at Dubai Holding, who will be taking part for the 10th time in the 10km race and leading Dubai Holding’s 2,000-strong corporate team at the race.

Khalid Al Malik, Managing Director of Dubai Holding, said, “We are optimistic about breaking the record for the highest number of UAE participants this year and look forward to celebrating the Emirati winners in the three categories the 10km, 42km and wheelchair races. Our ultimate goal is to see a UAE National winning the Dubai Marathon main race.”

Connerton said, “Now in its 21st year, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is staged for the city of Dubai and remains the biggest mass participation sporting event in the region. Staging it would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners, so it is a great boost to have the support of organisations such as Dubai Holding and the Dubai Sports Council.”