Dubai Marathon being promoted as a race between rivals, not against the clock

Event organisers are more focused on improving quality of competition than on breaking records, writes Gary Meenaghan.

Over the years, there has been plenty of fuss about breaking the time record at the Dubai Marathon. Antonie Robertson / The National
Powered by automated translation

DUBAI // Speak of the Dubai Marathon and it inevitably means speaking of a world record attempt. For the past eight years, having the record fall in the emirate has appeared at times as coveted by race organisers as the finish line is to those running the 42.2-kilometre event.

On Wednesday, event director Peter Connerton dismissed suggestions a headline-grabbing world record is the ultimate goal as he outlined the long-term strategy of the annual race.

In 2008, Haile Gebrselassie, one of the greatest distance runners of all time, was brought to Dubai amid a whirlwind of excitement. Having set a new fastest time with a sub-2:04 just months earlier in Berlin, the Ethiopian was tipped to break the record again.

The plan did not work. It rained, washing away any hopes, and Dubai Holding, who had promised US$1 million (Dh3.67m) to any athlete who could break the record, took their big cardboard cheque back to the bank.

After three consecutive years of watching Gebrselassie win the race but leave without the world record bonus prize, the organisers switched tack in 2011. Since then, while the promotional material continues to talk up the chances of a world record, Connerton has downplayed the likelihood. That trend continued this week.

“A world record would be huge, but people are talking too much about it,” he said. “People need to be realistic. I think it has only happened three times in the past 10 years, so if that is your expectation then you are going to be disappointed. We need to get away from that.”

The past three Dubai Marathons have been won by Ethiopian debutants and it is no coincidence. Connerton’s new strategy is to encourage more athletes to run for longer rather than faster.

It is epitomised by the participation on Friday of Kenenisa Bekele, the world record holder at 5,000m and 10,000m, but who is running this weekend in only his third marathon.

“The way we will see a world record being broken is not when you’re racing against a clock, but rather when you need to break the world record just to win the race,” said Connerton, who cited the 2013 race – when five athletes all finished in sub-2:05 for the first time in history – as a prime example.

Connerton said he is in discussions to offer bonuses next year to athletes who finish in under 2:04, hoping it will push those from further down the field to keep running until the end.

That, he said, will push those farther ahead to maintain – or even increase – their own pace.

“Sometimes the guys who are going to finish fifth or sixth fall away when they think they are out of contention. This way, everyone will be motivated to push to the finish line.”

There is no doubt a world record being broken on Friday would increase the draw of Dubai to elite athletes and the city would benefit from heightened publicity around the world for a few days.

Other than that, Connerton said: “I don’t think it would make that much difference.

“In 2013, a respected running magazine wrote that our race was ‘the greatest marathon ever’ and the record books show that – five guys sub-2:05 and three seconds separating the winner from second.

“In 2012, a guy ran 2:07 and was out of the prize money. He ran slower the previous year and came second, so we are trying to create competitive fields and it’s making for great, memorable races.”

While the world record may not be Connerton’s primary objective, it remains the key issue for almost everyone else.

Representatives from Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Holding, the UAE Athletics Association, Adidas and Standard Chartered all appeared yesterday, aware of the attention each of them would receive should the record fall.

Bekele – the man who twice beat Gebrselassie at the Olympic Games and is being tipped as this year’s great hope – only rates his chances at “50/50”.

“There are many Ethiopians here who have personal best times that are better than me,” he said. “It is a tough challenge but, if everything goes well and I handle all the challenges, then it is possible. What more can I say?”

gmeenaghan@thenational.ae

Follow our sports coverage on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE