Dubai Crown Prince Leads More Than 226,000 Participants At Dubai Run

Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum led more than 226,000 participants during the fifth edition of Dubai Run on Sunday.

The 41-year-old Crown Prince, who also serves as chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, marked the conclusion of the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) 2023 with Dubai Run, which Mai Dubai, a Dubai-based drink company, presented.

Participants at the 10-kilometer running event included United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri.

Apart from Al Neyadi, who recently completed a six-month mission in space, 69 crew members from his historic mission — including American astronauts Stephen Bowen, Warren Hoburg and Francisco Rubio and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dimitrii Petelin and Andrei Fediaev — also joined the fun run.

The Crown Prince of Dubai took to social media X, formerly Twitter, to share photos from the event. In the caption, he wrote, "A big thank you to all 226,000 participants who joined Dubai Run! Stay active! Keep running Dubai."

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), also witnessed the event, which he said was a thrilling overwhelming experience.

"The participation of hundreds of thousands of people from diverse backgrounds truly reflects the spirit of unity and inclusivity that Dubai embodies. Transforming Sheikh Zayed Road into a giant running track and showcasing Dubai's iconic landmarks added an unparalleled charm to the event," he said, according to WAM.

"We are proud to see Dubai Run cement its position as the world's largest community fun run, and extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to its resounding success," he added.

The DFRE CEO then lauded Dubai's Crown Price for his visionary leadership and commitment to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.

Saeed Hareb, secretary-general of Dubai Sports Council, also praised the fun run, saying it "exemplified the power of sports in bringing people together and igniting a sense of unity and camaraderie."

Hareb expressed his happiness over the enthusiasm people showed by participating in the event, which he said plays a "pivotal role in fostering a robust sports environment in the emirate, providing residents and visitors with diverse opportunities to engage in physical activities and embrace wellness."

The Dubai Run initiative was launched by the Crown Prince of Dubai in 2017. This year's edition of the fun run was organized by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Dubai Sports Council.