70,000 runners participate in Zayed Charity Marathon in Cairo

As many as 70,000 men and women participated in the EP1 million prize Second International Zayed Charity Marathon 2015 which was held at the Air Defence Stadium, Cairo, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and under patronage of President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

The UAE established the marathon in New York, and then moved to Abu Dhabi and Cairo to raise awareness about kidney disease.

The organisers said proceeds from this year's 10 km marathon, which they described as 'successful', would go to children with cancer and hepatitis patients. Proceeds of last year's run were dedicated to the Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357.

Retired Lt. General Mohammed Hilal Al Kaabi, chairman of the marathon's higher organising committee, Khaled Abdel Aziz, Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports, Khalifa Al Tunaiji, Deputy Ambassador of UAE to Egypt, crowned the winners.

Mahram Hamdallah of Egypt retained the gold for the second year running in the men's open race.

Hamdallah said he was delighted to win the race for the second time, and added that to win was not his aim, but advancing the humanitarian cause was.

'I want to send a message of thanks and gratitude to the UAE leadership for standing with Egypt through its financial and moral support and for funding charitable projects, notably the treatment of patients,' he said.

He added that he donated last year's prize money to the Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357 and he would do the same this year.

Kenyan long-distance runner Irene won the ladies open run. She said she was proud to win the gold medal and said that she would be eager to participate in the event every year.

Al Kaabi said he was proud of the resonating success of the event given its noble objectives.

He thanked Sheikh Mohamed for his unwavering and constant support and the Egyptian President for his kind patronage.

A 4 km run for wheelchair athletes was won by Egyptian Mahmoud Sawah. Shaima Fuzi won the women's race for persons with special needs.

Winners from each race category received EP30,000, while the runners-up got EP25,000 each and winners in the third place received EP20,000.

The marathon also featured folkloric and artistic performances and rendition of national songs.

Some 2,000 personnel from different formations of the Egyptian Army, police, traffic police and security agencies were deployed to secure the event.

Abu Dhabi Sports Council distributed 30,000 gifts and the Cancer Patient Care Society (CPCS), known as Rahma (or Mercy), presented 6000 T-shirts to the participants.
Source: WAM