Friday 26 / April / 2024
Muscat: Despite the reluctance of the sponsors to come out with full backing, Excellence Performance is all set to organise the third edition of Al Amerat Challenge Race on February 13.
The organisers, after hosting a successful inaugural event in 2014, received the recognition from Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) for their second edition a year later.
That AIMS-sanctioned event attracted a lot of attention as well as well-known runners from across the world leading to the Challenge becoming a great success which in turn helped the organisers to project the Sultanate as an ideal tourist destination.
But this time around, owing to slump in oil prices and the resultant austerity measures, not many sponsors have come forward to support the event.
However, the organisers are determined to continue with their good work and do their bit in promoting Omani sports as well as the Sultanate as a tourist destination.
“We are very proud of what we have done so far... not just Al Amerat Challenge but also other sporting events,” Excellence Performance chief Rashid Al Kindi said referring to two other championships they launched last year, Oman Girls Cross Country Championship and Oman Skate Championships.
“Our endeavour has always been to provide opportunities for the Omani youth to practice sports they love and to compete with the best in the world, to promote sports and healthy living as well as the Sultanate.
“So it is disappointing not to get proper backing from the sponsors, especially after the second Challenge has been such a big success,” he said.
“Like last year, a lot of international runners from within the region and beyond have shown interest. But unfortunately we don’t have enough sponsorship to welcome them,” he added.
“However, we don’t want it to be a one or two-year affair. We are determined to take it further and host it successfully for many years to come,” he said.
Huge interest
However, Al Kindi also took the opportunity to thank those sponsors who came forward to support this year's event, saying ‘without them it would have been extremely difficult for us to organise the Challenge’.
This year Oman Cables Industry has come forward to be Gold Sponsors while the list of Silver Sponsors includes Zubair Automobile Company, Tanuf, Oman Riders and Al Safa Company.
Meanwhile, Excellence Performance chief said ‘there is no lack of interest from the runners’.
“There are a lot of enquiries from various quarters, including students,” Al Kindi said.
"There will be some Oman national athletes, from security services as well as students from both government and private schools participating in the run. We are expecting more than 1,300 participants this year,” he added.
Like in the previous years, there will be the 9km main race for both men and women, and a 1.8km fun race.
The winners of main race will receive $1,000 and a medal. The second and third placed runners will get medals as well as $800 and $500 respectively. Fourth place winner will get $250.
The first 100 finishers in the fun race will receive medals.
Last year’s Challenge attracted runners from within the Gulf region as well as those from far off countries like Tanzania, Morocco, Kenya, Ethiopia, India and Iceland.
In 2015, Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al Joud won the men’s title while Kenya’s Naomi Jepkosgei Maiyo triumphed in the women’s race.
