Kids Run Youngsters Launch Al Mouj Muscat Marathon

The 2018 Al Mouj Muscat Marathon festival

got off to a spectacular start today when thousands of young runners

packed the streets of Muscat for the Kids’ Run event.

An extraordinary 2374 children � aged from seven to 12 years-old �

took part in one of three races to launch the now two-day festival of

running.

In what is a new event ahead of tomorrow’s centrepiece Al Mouj

Muscat Marathon, the Kids’ Run saw dozens of schools taking part,

with Al Seeb International School winning the Most Active School in

Oman trophy and RO 1000 in gym equipment.

The seventh edition of the Muscat Marathon has seen a record-

breaking number of 6094 entries across all race categories.

Today has been a wonderful day and it has been truly inspirational to

see so many children taking part and enjoying physical activity with

their friends and schoolmates, said Salma al-Hashmi, Oman Sail’s

Chief Marketing Officer.

All this has been made possible only thanks to the marvellous support

we have received from the schools who took part, and that of all our

partners � starting with Al Mouj Muscat � who have helped make this

festival of running what it is today, she added.

The thousands of children taking part in the Kids’ Run had started

to gather from mid-morning ahead of the first start at 3pm, and were

entertained in the Al Mouj Race Village by magicians, a marching

band, face painters, stilt walkers and the TNT Hip Hop Crew. The BP

SME zone also featured an Engineering for Kids display.

Following the races, the Kids’ Run prize-giving was attended by

guest of honour Dr. Ali bin Taleb al-Hinai, Undersecretary of the

Ministry of Health for Planning Affairs, members of the Oman Athletics

Association, Nasser al-Shibani, CEO of Al Mouj, and David Graham,

CEO of event organiser Oman Sail.

Prizes were awarded to the top three young athletes in each class.

In the 1km category for 7 and 8 year-olds the winner was Ammar al-

Lamki, with Mudrek al-Hatmi in second place, and Azzan Mohammed in

third. In the female’s category, the winner was Marah Abdulall, followed

by Caris Pollock, then Romily Hraham in third.

The 2.5km race for 9 and 10 year-olds was won by Nathan Byford,

ahead of Harry Oweno, second, and Millar Bathgate in third place. In

the girls’ category, Assia Samin took the crown, followed by Roukaya

Ellkomy, then Rana al-Barwani in third place.

The final 4km race for 11 and 12 year-olds saw Keiji Maruyama take

the victory, with Tamam al-Hasni second and AbdulAziz al-Harrasi in

third place. With the girls in this distance, Grace Park came first,

followed by Olivia Philips, then Kristina Sarah Siju in third place.

Tomorrow will see the highlight of the festival with the full 42km Al

Mouj Muscat Marathon itself, the Half-marathon and 10km races, as

well as the Marathon Relay category for teams of runners and a 5km

Charity Fun Run in support of The Oman Diabetes Association.

The overall 2018 entry list shows there are runners from 86

countries, with large numbers from India, Britain, the Philippines,

France, South Africa and the US, along with hundreds more from

countries ranging from Australia to Yemen.

With an early 6am scheduled start for those taking part in the

Marathon, Half-Marathon and Marathon Relay categories, the Race

Village in Al Mouj will be open from 5am with a warm-up session by

The Wellness Centre and light music by Adam Cole.

Source: Oman News Agency