Saudi Sports for All Federation welcomed more than 15,000 participants for the 2023 Riyadh Marathon
Saudi Sports for All Federation welcomed more than 15,000 participants for the 2023 Riyadh Marathon
- The marathon saw more thousands of competitors of more than 120 nationalities
- The Riyadh Marathon was sponsored a number of key partners including Roshn,NEOM,SABIC
- A total of SAR 1,000,000. was awarded in cash prizes to the professional race winners
Riyadh, Gulf Tech
More than 15,000 competitors and 120 different nationalities and beyond, including participants from around the world, took part in the second edition of the Riyadh Marathon. Organized by the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, the Quality of Life program, and Saudi Arabian Athletic Federation, the Riyadh Marathon welcomed people of all ages and abilities to join the wave of physical activity sweeping the nation on February 11, 2023.
HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, President of the Saudi Sports for All Federation, awarded the winners of the 2023 Riyadh Marathon, in the presence of Prince Nawaf bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Vice President of the International Athletics Federation (IAAF), alongside Ms. Shaima Saleh Al-Husseini, SFA Managing Director.
Celebrating the success of sporty marathon participants at an exclusive awards ceremony, Prince Khaled praised the fit and active community members for their commitment to leading healthy lives and raising awareness of the importance of physical activities.
The marathon gave community members a chance to challenge themselves outdoors, with a range of walk/run options of varying distances — 42km, 21km, 10km, and 4km races — inviting all levels of participtants and different abilities, including amateur and more experienced runners.
The three winning participants in the women’s segment hailed from Eithiopia. Meseret Abebayehu Alemu came in first place in the women’s elite marathon, Aberash Fayesa Robi in second place, with Gadise Mullu Demissie taking third place. Representing Morocco, contestant Samir Jouaher from the elite marathon for men had won first place, followed by Balew Yihunie Derseh in first place, and Yemane Tsegay Adhane in third place, both representing Ethiopia. First place winners in the professional race for men and women were awarded prizes of $30,000, while second place ranked competitors enjoyed awards of $20,000, with third place winners taking home $10,000 in prize money.
“The SFA hopes to continue taking part in the Kingdom’s aims to become a worldwide sports hub, by encouraging all members of society to get active and increase national education levels around the relevance of physical fitness as a key metric in overall life satisfaction and wellness,” said Prince Khaled, highlighting the guidance of the Ministry of Sports in bringing the Marathon to new heights of successful participation numbers, adding that the event would not have been possible without the significant support of the Quality of Life program.
The second edition of the Riyadh Marathon is sponsored by a range of leading entities and partners, including Roshn, NEOM, SABIC, Sports Boulevard, and Visit Saudi. The official event supporters being Chery, Right Bite, and Acwa Power. The event is also sponsored by Jeeny, Nova, Delta Sports, ORS, Tawuniya Vitality, MDL Beast and Al-Arabiya.
In line with SFA’s goals structured by Vision 2030 and the Quality of Life Program objectives, the Riyadh Marathon brought thousands together to celebrate and promote physical activity levels in the country, and crucially, promoted sports and fitness as a key aspect of Saudi Arabia’s social fabric.
