Successful turnout and record-breaking numbers at 2023 Doha … – ILoveQatar.net
The 2023 Doha marathon, which was organized by Ooredoo in cooperation with the Qatar Athletics Federation, witnessed the participation of 8,000 male and female runners of various categories.
Moroccan runner Mohcine Outalha succeeded in winning first place in the race, surpassing the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners, recording a new time of 02:06.00 hours in the race that started in the morning of Friday, 20 January 2023, in front of the Amiri podium at the Doha Corniche, and reached a distance of 42 km, with a record participation of male and female runners who ran the race on the track in the direction of Katara and Lusail, ending at the endpoint parallel to the starting point.
In the women’s marathon category, the Ethiopian Belet Moseret came in the first place, setting a new marathon record in her category of 02:20.45 hours.
The marathon was attended by the Qatari Olympic and world champion Mutaz Barshim as a guest of honour at the start of the race from the point of preparation.
The marathon organizing committee also held races for various groups of society in order to promote the culture of sports in general and athletics in particular. Half marathon races were held for both men and women, in addition to a 10-kilometre race and a five-kilometre race, in addition to races for the children’s category.
The races were supervised by the referees and technicians from the Qatar Athletics Association, in addition to the timekeepers who calculate the timing of each competitor accurately and according to the standards adopted by the International Federation of the game.
The organizing committee of the marathon was keen to provide support to the participants to complete the race.
It is noteworthy that the first edition of the “Doha Ooredoo Marathon” was held in 2013 with the aim of encouraging citizens and residents to exercise and maintain physical fitness and activity. Over the years, it has become one of the most popular sporting events in Qatar, and more than 25,000 male and female runners have participated in all its editions so far. The marathon attracts a large number of crowds who line the sides of its track to encourage the runners and enjoy the enthusiastic atmosphere.
On the other hand, the Qatari Olympic and world champion and high jump icon Mutaz Barshim expressed his great happiness at attending the Doha Marathon this year, indicating that he kept thinking about attending the marathon every year to follow the race and the atmosphere of enthusiasm among the runners, but his training programs require him to be outside Qatar during the period. The marathon is held in it, but this time he attended to follow the level of competition and excitement in the various races, praising the great enthusiasm witnessed by the race.
Barshim considered that the increasing number of participants from one version to another is evidence of the high value of athletics in general and marathon races in particular.
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Source: QNA
Cover image credit: Qatar Olympic Committee
