A line-up featuring a former world marathon
champion, a former marathon world record holder and international city marathon
winners from around the globe will line up when the 2025 Dubai Marathon gets
underway in the UAE on Sunday (January 12).
Staged under the auspices of the Dubai Sports Council, the Dubai Marathon will
celebrate its 24 th anniversary with thousands of runners taking to the area around the
iconic Burj Al Arab less than two weeks into the new year.
Among them will be a man with special memories of the city. Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa
exploded on to the world marathon scene by winning a compelling Dubai Marathon
back in 2013. It was the start of a running journey that took him to running glory at
the Boston Marathon in 2013 and 2015, the New York Marathon in 2018 before
being crowned World Marathon Champion in Doha in 2019.
But while Desisa was one of the most successful marathon runners pre-pandemic,
the man with the fastest time in the field is Kenyan star Dennis Kimetto – and
although his 2:02:57 in Berlin was set a decade ago it was the first sub 2:03 in
marathon history and stood for four years.
Kimetto has won three big city marathons during his career – Chicago, Tokyo and
Berlin – breaking the course record at each and has fond memories of the UAE
having won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 2012, a feat matched by Desisa
two years later in 2014.
In the women’s elite field, 2022 Sydney Marathon winner Tigist Girma heads the line-
up with a marathon personal best of 2:18:52, while compatriot Zeineba Yimer –
winner of the 2023 Barcelona Marathon – and fellow Ethiopian and 2023 Dubai
Marathon champion Dera Dida will also have title ambitions for the weekend with
personal bests of 2:19:07 and 2:19:24 respectively.
The elite men and women competing in the 24 th edition of the Middle East’s oldest
and fastest international marathon gathered to meet sponsors and media at a pre-
event press conference.
“The Dubai Marathon is one of the oldest sporting events on our calendar and a very
important date for the city,” said Ali Omar Al Balooshi, Director of Sports Events
Department, Dubai Sports Council. “We are delighted to see so many established
athletes with us once again and look forward to a memorable race on Sunday.”
But while the focus may have been on those who have already produced fast times
at the world’s greatest marathon venues, a host of up-and-coming athletes are
waiting in the wings ready to write their own headlines in a race renowned for
creating new champions.
In the past, the men’s race has seen victories for the likes of Desisa, reigning
Olympic Champion Tamirat Tola and course record holder Getaneh Molla (2:03:34),
while last year’s women’s race witnessed a new course record from Tigist Ketema
(2:16:07), a record time for a woman making her marathon debut.
Making his Dubai debut this year is British Paralympian Richard Whitehead MBE,
marathon world record holder for athletes with bilateral knee amputations who ran
the 2024 Chicago Marathon in a record-breaking 2:41:36 in October.
A multi-gold medal winning Paralympian in London (2012) and Rio(2016),
Whitehead has also achieved four World Championship titles and is looking forward
to his first attempt at the Dubai Marathon. “I love the camaraderie of the events, how
they embrace all ages, all cultures, and all abilities,” he said. “I think running as an
athlete who lives with a disability enables people to see that anything is possible, if
you believe in yourself.”
The international elites will now spend the eve of the event completing last-minute
training on the streets and roads of the city before tackling the 42.195km route that
starts on Umm Suqeim Street in the shadow of the Burj Al Arab.
Late registration for the Marathon, the 10km Road Race and the 4km Fun Run can
made online only at dubaimarathon.org with the final chance for run number
collection being Saturday (January 11). And for runners looking for transport, RTA
Dubai has announced that the Dubai Metro will be open from 5am on race morning.
The 2025 Dubai Marathon is supported by the Dubai Sports Council, adidas, the
Channel 4 Radio Network, ITP Media Group, XIAOMI, JETOUR, Bisleri Water, Dubai
RTA, Dubai Police and Dubai Municipality and SIRO One Za'abeel, the first fully
integrated Fitness + Recovery hotel in Dubai.