Dream of world record still burns for Dubai Marathon organisers

Construction forces 15th new route in 15 years

Dubai Marathon organisers are no longer pursuing high-profile runners such as Haile Gebrselassie, fourth from left, with large appearance fees. Jeff Topping / The National

DUBAI // The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon has been held across 15 different course layouts in 15 years. Such a remarkable rate of change raises not only eyebrows but also, depending on who you ask, expectations.

For instance, Ahmed Al Kamali, the affable president of the UAE Athletics Federation, speaks candidly of his dream of witnessing a new world record in Dubai.

With this year’s course being billed by organisers as “the world’s flattest marathon”, it is understandable the Emirati is feeling optimistic ahead of Friday’s race.

“We keep chasing and keep dreaming of that world record,” Al Kamali said. “If we look at the technical part of it, it is a very flat course and not many bends, so that gives us a good chance.

“Every year, we change the course slightly, but this is our best chance yet because it’s a very fast course and, especially in the last 300-400 metres, there’s a gentle downwards slope towards the finish line.”

Peter Connerton, the event director, accepts the course has changed regularly since its debut in 2000 but dismisses the notion of deliberately altering the route in search of one that can provide a world record.

The constant construction around Dubai, he said, is a more pressing reason for the changes. In 2012 and 2013, the race was held in downtown Dubai, but due to residential traffic and building work it proved “a logistical nightmare”.

This year’s course marks a return to its traditional route along Jumeirah Beach Road, with a short section up Umm Suqeim Road.

“I’m not pushing for a world record,” Connerton said. “I’m pushing for more people to run faster for longer, and if that happens to produce a world record, so be it.”

For three consecutive years, between 2008 and 2010, race organisers brought Olympic gold medallist Haile Gebrselassie to the emirate and Dubai Holding offered a US$1 million (Dh3.6m) bonus prize to anybody who could break the record. Nobody did.

Now, for the past two years, the approach has changed and Connerton acknowledges the days of enticing big-name athletes to Dubai with hefty appearance fees have passed. The previous two races have been won by Ethiopian debutants.

“It’s better that we don’t have Haile coming to break a world record because we’re getting these young guys, training like mad and arriving hungry to run,” he said. “The world record will come from them because they are not fearful of a Haile or a Patrick Makau.

“They are coming to win the prize money. Those athletes and their managers who are going around, running races half-injured, picking up appearance money, that’s not what we want.”

Al Kamali said that, weather permitting, the first indication of whether a world record is realistic on Friday morning will come at the halfway mark when the leading athletes reach the Union Flag. If they reach the turn within one hour, one minute and 30 seconds, the race could be set for a historic finish.

“We have put eight pacemakers in, so they will have plenty of support,” he said.

“I suspect there will be nearly 35 athletes together at the 30km mark and that, too, could be a signal that somebody can push the field and break the record that we dream of. Anything can happen, of course, but we will keep chasing.”

Almost 2,500 runners took part in last year’s marathon, with 17,000 more taking part in the 10km road race and 3km fun run. Organisers said yesterday they expect a new record turnout across all three races