Dubai Marathon returns to its traditional home in the heart of the city

The Dubai Marathon will return to its traditional “home” in the heart of the city when the 23rd staging of the iconic sporting event is held on Sunday, 7th January, 2024.

Sanctioned by the Dubai Sports Council, the 2024 Dubai Marathon will start and finish on Umm Suqeim Road with three races – the 4km fun run, the 10km road race and the classic 42.195km marathon distance – following discussions between event organisers, the Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Police and the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA).

“The Dubai Marathon is well established as one of the largest annual sporting events on the calendar and is a firm favourite with runners of all ages and abilities, so it is important the city gets fully behind it,” said Dubai Sports Council Secretary General Saeed Hareb.

“With our governmental colleagues, we will continue to work closely with the organisers to stage another memorable event that brings international running into the heart of the city.”
Runners registering for the 2024 edition of the first and oldest international marathon in the Middle East will start and finish on the Umm Suqeim Road close to the Dubai Police Academy with the 42.195km distance taking in Jumeirah Beach Road and passing in the shadows of the iconic Burj Al Arab and Madinat properties.

“We are very grateful to the Dubai Sports Council, as well as the Dubai Police, Dubai RTA and Dubai Municipality, for working with us to facilitate the staging of the 2024 Dubai Marathon,” said Event Director Peter Connerton.

“While it’s an established route that has proved to be popular with locally based runners as well as the growing number of international marathon tourists from outside the region, we know that staging a city marathon is a major challenge for the governmental departments, particularly with Dubai now being home to some 3.6 million people.

“We simply could not operate on the streets of the emirate without the help of our city partners, and we thank the Dubai Sports Council for their invaluable co-ordination and ongoing support.”

The 2024 Dubai Marathon will be seen by top athletes, rising stars and debutants as the perfect opportunity to record an Olympic qualifying time just over six months prior to the staging of the Summer Olympics in Paris.

The course is known as being particularly benign for both elite and regular runners so quick times are expected, particularly in early January when Dubai’s temperatures are conducive to distance running. Men and women have until April 30, 2024, to qualify for their countries and achieve the standard set by the Olympic Committee and by their national federation to compete in the marathon at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

“International athletes are well aware that Dubai is a race that can put them in the global spotlight and open doors to a successful career in long distance running,” added Connerton.

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