The “60 km Challenge” cycling race that was held on Al Hudayriat Island, and the “Sunset Challenge” running race that was held at the Yas Marina Circuit attracted 650 participants from different nationalities and age groups, over the past Friday and Saturday. As part of the agenda of community events organized by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council every week, which aims to raise the level of fitness among community members, and make sport a daily lifestyle and lifestyle, in the midst of precautionary measures and preventive measures to limit the spread of “Covid 19”.
The “60 km Challenge” cycling race witnessed the participation of 166 cyclists and bicycles, and a great competition in light of the slight differences between the contestants. Omani Majid Al Balushi from the Dubai Police team won first place after he traveled the distance with a time of 1:26:21 hours. In second place is the Belgian Van Dries with a time of 1:26:35, while the third place came to South Africa, Kiel Korea with a time of 1:26:38 hours, while Emirati Samah Khalid from Dubai Police won first place after she had covered the 60 km in a time It was 1:43:42 hours, and Australian Madison Black came in second with a time of 01:51:57 hours, and Filipino Ariesh Dossula came in third with a time of 01:51:58 hours.
The “Sunset Challenge” running race for the distances of 2.5 km, 5 km and 10 km also witnessed the participation of 484 runners and female runners. Bulgarian Anastasia Bisraum won first place in the 2.5 km race after covering the distance in 10:46 minutes, and the Emirati Muhammad Al-Hawati took first place at 09:55. Minutes, and in the 5 km distance, British Jasmin Bateman won first place with a time of 22:19 minutes, and the American Kevin Potter in 17:16 minutes, while in the 10 km distance, Irish Sarh Rosebock won first place with a time of 50:43 minutes, and the Emirati Abdullah Al Qati, with a time of 36:24 minutes.
Suhail Abdullah Al-Arifi, Acting Executive Director of the Events Sector at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, affirmed that the cycling and running races have achieved the desired goals, and said: “We are keen in the Abu Dhabi Sports Council to organize weekly sports events that enhance the communication and interaction of the community groups with sport in all its games and competitions, with an emphasis on the importance of And the need to follow precautionary measures and preventive measures to limit the spread of “Covid 19”.
Al-Arifi pointed out that the council attaches great importance to spreading the culture of cycling identity and running in the Abu Dhabi community to encourage and motivate everyone to practice sport and make it a healthy lifestyle, praising the great efforts made by all parties, including organizers, volunteers, participants and sponsors.
He thanked Al Hudayriat Island for hosting the cycling race, and the Yas Marina Circuit for hosting the running race, and all the sponsoring companies and partners, expressing his aspiration to organize many sporting events in various regions of Abu Dhabi during the coming period.