(22 September 2019, Abu Dhabi) Today, the race route and technical partner for the 2019 ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon was announced at a press conference hosted by H.E. Aref Hamad Al Awani – General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi – Executive Office Director of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), at ADNOC HQ.
The race route for the second edition of the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon will start in front of the iconic ADNOC HQ and heads out along the Corniche. Runners will pass the Emirates Heritage Village – home to one of the tallest flagpoles in the world – before making their way around Marina Mall and through the Event Village located in the South Plaza of the ADNOC HQ Campus, making it more spectator-friendly and exciting for participants who will be cheered on by family and fans. Other route highlights include Qasr Al Hosn, one of Abu Dhabi’s oldest and most beautiful stone buildings and the new Corniche finish line.
High-performance Australian sports apparel brand, 2XU, has been named ‘Technical Sponsor’ for the world-class sporting event taking place in the capital on Friday, 6th December. All participants will receive a top-of-the-line t-shirt made from high-filament cross section yarn, with moisture-wicking and antibacterial properties that help keep runners comfortable and focused during races.
A new, dynamic brand look and feel was also revealed. In keeping with the race route, the marathon brand collaterals have been revamped to reflect the city’s skyline and most famous landmarks.
Speaking at the press conference, H.E. Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “The second edition of the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon is set to be the Emirate’s biggest and best sporting event yet. We have changed the race route slightly to allow runners to hear the cheers of their supporters from the event village on the ADNOC South Plaza. And, with the addition of a high-profile technical partner – 2XU – we can make sure that our runners are equipped with the best sports apparel to perform to the best of their abilities and surpass their goals.”
Mr. Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi – Executive Office Director of ADNOC, said: “Our corporate campus has been undergoing extensive renovations to create an unrivalled experience for the marathon runners. We look forward to welcoming our athletes, their families, and the entire UAE community to the fan village – the Energy Zone – for what promises to be yet another fantastic weekend in the UAE’s event calendar,”.
The Energy Zone will be open from 3-9pm, from the 2nd to the 5th of December.
Elite runners from all over the globe will gather at the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon in a fearless competition to take the 2019 marathon winner title. Competing in the Male Category is Kenyan, Marius Kipserem, who won last year’s marathon. Fellow Kenyan, Evans Chebet – who won silver at the 2017 Valencia Marathon in a time of 2:05:03 and Ethiopian, Feyisa Lilesa Gemechu the 2016 Silver Olympic Medalist will also participate.
Female elite runners include Vivian Kiplagat – 2019 Milano Marathon record holder with a time of 2:22:25 and for Bahrain, Eunice Chumba Chebichii, who was the 2nd place winner of the 2018 ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon.
The prize fund for the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon is one of the world’s largest and totals over $388,000, with male and female winners of the marathon taking home $100,000 each.
ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon has announced the primary sponsors for the 2019 event including Abu Dhabi Sports Channel – who is the main broadcast host and Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre and Tadweer, where the latter will be aiding with waste management services and race course cleaning. Maserati, Premier Motors will again be the official car of the event.
The event is further supported by Arab University Sports Federation, Daman Health Insurance and SEHA for health services, as well as media partners; The National and Sport 360. A variety of suppliers have been confirmed including Pocari Sweat, Al Ain water, Frutia, GU Energy Gels and Fitness First.
As part of its continued efforts to encourage healthy and active living in the Emirates and following the popularity of community training sessions to date, ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon are hosting additional training sessions in a variety of new locations.