ATHLETICS – THE final countdown is on for one of the kingdom’s biggest and most popular charity running races.
One-hundred-and-seventy teams have signed up for this year’s edition of the Bahrain Marathon Relay, set to take place this Friday starting at 8am at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
The race features a 30-kilometre course divided into 10 stages of three km each. The route will take runners along the surrounding areas of BIC, head towards Bilaj Al Jazayer in Zallaq before going back to the circuit for the finish.
This year’s Bahrain Marathon Relay is being sponsored by National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), and it is organised by Bahrain Road Runners (BRR) in cooperation with The British Club and the Bahrain Athletics Association.
“We thank NBK for being the title sponsors of this year’s event, and thanks as well to The British Club for partnering with us again for this race,” BRR chairman Shaikh Abdulla bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa told the GDN last night on the sidelines of a captains’ meeting at The British Club Bahrain in Adliya.
“This is the 41st staging of this race – last year, we had 150 teams and this time we have 170 teams registered, which is a new record for us.
“We have a new route – hopefully the runners will enjoy it. We will be raising some money for charity, so it’s for a good cause, and we are hoping to get even bigger numbers next year.”
The race village for this year’s event will be at BIC, where fans in attendance can enjoy a number of entertainment attractions from 8am to 11am to go along with the racing.
“We thank Bahrain International Circuit for hosting us and our race village,” Shaikh Abdulla said, adding that the BRR is delighted that the event continues to grow each year.
“We were pleasantly surprised with the registration level last year, so we said we were going to open registration early for this year’s event,” Shaikh Abdulla noted. “Next year, we hope to open it even earlier.
“There’s a huge appetite for this relay race in Bahrain, and hopefully next year we are aiming to get over 200 teams.”
Shaikh Abdulla’s message to all those taking part in the relay this weekend: “Lace up, get ready, and enjoy the run – we hope that the weather will be good as well.”
The Bahrain Marathon Relay was founded by The British Club Bahrain in 1981 and has become an important highlight on the annual sporting calendar in the kingdom. The race is promoted as a fun run aimed at participants of all standards, from elite athletes to keen joggers and even once-a-year runners.
Following the 2019 event, the succeeding year’s Bahrain Marathon Relay was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The race returned last year and now continues to build on its momentum.
“We celebrate not only a race, but a movement – a reminder that every finish line we cross opens the door to new beginnings,” said BRR vice-chairman Khalifa Al Najem.
“Whether you are running for your team, your cause, or your own personal goal, you are part of something larger: a community that runs together, supports each other, and uplifts Bahrain through every step.”
Participants’ T-shirts and bib numbers were distributed to the team captains during last night’s gathering, while a detailed explanation of the route, along with the rules and regulations, was presented by BRR general secretary Sadiq Al Alawi and other officials.
There are different categories for this year’s Bahrain Marathon Relay. They include gyms; sports clubs and social clubs; transportation, logistics, airlines and travel agencies; hospitals, hotel, and catering; banks, insurance, and financial institutions; industrial companies; trading companies; telecommunications, media, and IT; universities and schools; and construction and real estate.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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