Outstanding Success at Al Ain Half Marathon with Participation of More Than 4,000 Runners

The Al Ain Half Marathon 2025, organized by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council in collaboration with ADNOC, concluded with the participation of around 4,000 runners of various ages and nationalities. They competed across five main race categories: the Half Marathon (21 km), the 10 km race, the 5 km race, the 2.5 km race, in addition to the family and recreational race and the People of Determination race for a distance of 2.5 km. 

This year’s edition witnessed remarkable participation in the Half Marathon category, which saw more than 1,000 runners taking part. The average age of participants across all races reached 31 years, with age groups ranging from infants less than one year old to veteran runners over seventy years old, including Abdulaziz Al Amri (71 years old) and Anna Russo (73 years old), the oldest participants. 

The organization of the Al Ain Half Marathon comes within the efforts to promote the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, scheduled to take place next December, and to enhance Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading sports and community destination locally and internationally. 

ADNOC is the official sponsor of the event, which combined the traditional spirit of Al Ain City with a strong sense of community participation. The race distances were suitable for different fitness levels and encouraged families, sports clubs, and amateur athletes of all ages to join, helping to reinforce a culture of physical activity and healthy lifestyles within the community. 

The sports village hosted the Al Ain Half Marathon at the plaza in front of Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, offering a comprehensive sports and entertainment experience over four days from 5 to 8 November 2025. The village included live music and entertainment performances, a variety of food and beverage stalls, interactive activities for children and families, sponsor and partner booths, and designated relaxation areas for runners after the race. 

Hazza bin Zayed Stadium was also equipped with several indoor facilities, including a VIP lounge, an area for elite runners, a media center, a volunteer room, and a fully equipped medical clinic, ensuring the highest standards of safety and comfort for all participants. 

At the conclusion of the event, His Excellency Talal Al Hashemi, Executive Director of Events at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, affirmed that the organization of the Al Ain Half Marathon comes as part of the Council’s ongoing mission to reinforce Abu Dhabi’s status as an exceptional global sports and community destination. He noted that hosting the race in Al Ain, a city known for its authenticity, heritage, and natural beauty, reflected the unique diversity of the UAE’s regions and expanded the base of participants from across the emirate and the country. 

Al Hashemi added that the Al Ain Half Marathon embodied the Council’s vision of enhancing community participation and encouraging all segments of society to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle. He emphasized that the event represented a key milestone on the road to the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, one of the region’s most prominent sporting events, scheduled for December 13 in the capital, offering full marathon, two-person relay marathon, and 10 km, 5 km, and 2.5 km races. 

He concluded by emphasizing that the promotional races for the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon have helped raise awareness about the importance of sports and encouraged the community to take part in the main event hosted by the capital next December, urging everyone to register and participate in the highly anticipated global event.