Near-record for Tesfaye Abera; second title for Tirfi Tsegaye in Dubai Marathon

DUBAI // Ethiopian athletes dominated Friday’s Dubai Marathon as they led clean sweeps of the podium in both the men’s and women’s races.

The event was attended by Sebastian Coe, the IAAF president, and saw Tesfaye Abera win the men’s race in 2 hours, 4 minutes and 24 seconds, ahead of compatriots Lemi Berhanu, the 2015 champion, and Tsegaye Mekonnen, the 2014 winner, in third.

The women’s race was won by Tirfi Tsegaye with a time of 2:19.4, with Amane Beriso and Meselech Melkamu completing the top three.

Photo gallery: Tirfi Tsegaye and Tesfaye Abera win 2016 Dubai Marathon

The results continue Ethiopia’s success in Dubai as the past five men’s races have been won by an Ethiopian. You have to go back to 2006 for the last time a female runner from outside Ethiopia prevailed.

Abera credited his well-planned preparations for setting him up to triumph.

“I had good preparation– the training was perfect– and today my plan worked out well,” he said.

“The first 30 kilometres we had the pacemakers and the pace was steady, but after they dropped out, six of us we all started to look at each other an we slowed down.”

Abeya added that running against the winners of past two years had not made him doubt himself.

“I was confident I could win,” he said. “I was not minding that, I was running my own race.

“Now I will go home and make a plan, and hopefully the federation will pick me for the Olympics, but it’s still early.”

Runner-up Berhanu said: “I expected to win but as I came to the finish line I felt lost a lot of energy.”

The coach of the top two women runners, as well as Mekonnen and Berhanu, was thrilled with the results.

“I’m very happy with their performances,” Gemedu Dedefo said. “I wanted to win both the men and women races Tirfi Tsegaye is not just impressive, she is the strongest athlete here, she had won so many races already and I expected her to win.

“We tried to attack the course record, but in the middle we were a bit slow.”

Coe, who was a guest of Ahmed Al Kamali, the president of the UAE Athletics Federation, was impressed by what he witnessed on the Dubai roads as more than 30,000 runners took part in the marathon, the 10km run and the 4km fun run.

“This is a marathon that is growing in reputation all the time and pleasingly the participation field is growing as well, and that’s a very good story,” The IAAF president said.

Coe and the IAAF have dominated the headlines in recent weeks over allegations of doping being rife in the sport, and some failed results in the past being covered up.

The Briton said his immediate focus was on trying to rehabilitate the image of the sport.

“We’re making a lot of changes,” he said.

“I’ve got a lot of support from my council colleagues like Mr Al Kamali here, and our objective is to change the way we do things, and also to bring trust back to the federation and to the sport, but primarily to make sure that clean athletes know that we can create systems for them that they can trust in.”

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5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai

Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:

• Dubai Marina

The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
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• Downtown

Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
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• City Walk

The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
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• Jumeirah Lake Towers

Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941

• Palm Jumeirah

Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

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10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
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