Dubai Women’s Run: top 3 Emiratis to win cash prizes

Cash prizes will be awarded to the fastest Emiratis who finish the Dubai Women's Run next month.

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DUBAI // Cash prizes will be awarded to the fastest Emiratis finishing the Dubai Women’s Run next month.

The top three Emirati runners in the 5km and 10km races on November 8 will win Dh5,000 (best Emirati), Dh3,000 (2nd best) and Dh2,000 (3rd best).

Those awards will be in addition to the prize money on offer to the 10 fastest women overall, which starts at Dh10,000 for the winner.

More than 5,000 women are expected to compete in the race, which begins at the Meydan Race Course at 7am.

There will be two crèches catering to mothers wishing to take part and activities at the finish line will include face-painting, balloons, music and food and beverages for runners and spectators. Gold’s Gym UAE will provide competitors with a warm-up session.

“We want to help create a nation of active women, and also help build a culture where fit and healthy womanhood is celebrated and more women feel stimulated to join the league,” said race director Liesa Euton.

Race sponsor Dubai Holding, which is contributing Dh90,000 of prize money, said the creation of a new category to recognise the fastest Emiratis was part of its Corporate Wellness Programme and was a “natural progression” from its support of the UAE National Category at the Dubai Marathon.

In addition to the Dubai Women’s Run and Dubai Marathon, the company sponsors the Dubai Vertical Marathon, Global Corporate Challenge, blood donation drives and sponsored treks and hikes.

“We want to inspire and encourage women, and specifically Emirati women, to live a healthy lifestyle,” said Cedric Betis, chairman of Dubai Holding Wellness Committee.

Dubai Holding is also encouraging its employees to support Al Jalila Foundation’s fundraising for medical research in the UAE.

Ahmad Al Kamali, president of the Athletics Federation, said: “Our aim is to create a nation of active women and make sport and fitness an everyday part of their life. We are working to help shape sport and fitness delivery so that physical activity becomes an attractive proposition and one that can compete with other popular pastimes.”

This is the fourth year the run has taken place. In the first year there were just 500 runners.

Register at www.dubaiwomensrun.com.

wissa@thenational.ae