Thousands hit Yas Marina Circuit for Adnic run

More than 3,000 runners took to the capital's Formula One racetrack on Friday for the third annual Adnic Yas Run, as many others cheered them on.

A young runner heads for the finish line of the 5km race at Adnic Yas Run, an event that had more than 2,600 participants. Silvia Razgova / The National

ABU DHABI // Thousands of runners took to the capital's Formula One track for the third annual Adnic Yas Run.

More than 2,600 people took part in the event on Yas Island, which included an internationally certified 10-kilometre race, along with 1km and 3km runs for children.

Competitors this year also had the chance to compete in a 5km race, open to ages 8 and above.

This year’s edition featured a new inter-event competition – corporate, schools and clubs challenges, which rewarded the fastest organisations – and the UAE National Challenge, which rewarded the fastest male and female Emiratis in every race category.

John Ndungu, 27, and Gladys Jemaiyo, 19, were the champions of the 10km race, with times of 29 minutes 48 seconds, and 35:55.

They will fly to New York for next year’s UAE Healthy Kidney Race in March alongside the Emirati 10km competition winners, Mohammed Rashed and Reem Fekri.

In the new 5km event, 13-year-olds Harry Dalgarno and Maya Gill completed the one-lap race with the fastest times.

The Adnic Yas Run, which has established itself as a key date in the UAE sporting calendar, is sponsored by the Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company. A total of 2,657 runners took part, with spectators taking the attendance to 6,500.

Noura Al Mazroui, 13, a grade 7 pupil at the Glenelg School of Abu Dhabi, competed in the 3km race.

Her eight-year-old sister, Fatima, ran the 1km race.

“It seems quite a challenge but I think I’ll win,” Noura said, while trying out the various Adnic challenge stations before the start of the race. “Last week, I started running for about half an hour a day near our house.”

The stations tested competitors’ strength, agility and flexibility in four challenges – jump-rope, spinning and biking, balance and the jumping box.

Children also tried Adventure HQ’s mobile climbing wall and the stack line while their parents sat on bean bags and took photos.

Parents queued at the Burjeel Hospital booth to monitor their blood pressure, body composition analysis, fat percentage and body mass index.

Kohposh Wangnoo, 11, a grade 6 pupil at Abu Dhabi Indian School, had his photo taken with the Operation Smile UAE mascot.

Ten per cent of the registration fees for the event will be donated to Operation Smile, a charity that offers free corrective surgeries for children with cleft palates and other facial birth defects.

“I’ll win because I’m fast, very fast,” Kohposh said. “I won first place in the interschool competition last week.”

His father, Surinder, 46, said the Adnic Yas Run was an opportunity to meet friends of different nationalities and cultures.

“I came here to support my son,” he said. “But it’s also good to meet both old and new friends.”

Chenjarai Tanyongana, 43, who manages the sports and recreation programme at Higher Colleges of Technology in Al Ain, joined his two sons, Naftali Marlon, 15, and seven-year-old Lazaro in the run.

His wife, Lidia, said she was content to be on the sidelines to cheer them on.

Last year, Tanyongana, from Zimbabwe, clocked 53:20 in the 10km run. On Friday, he decided to run 5km with his son instead.

The father finished 64th, with a time of 27:20, while Naftali came 17th with a time of 24:03. Lazaro finished 34th in the 1km, in 4:31.

“It’s important to support good causes through physical activities,” he said. “And we love to do it as a family.”