DUBAI – Dubai Sports Council held a medals ceremony for the winners of the Pocari Sweat 10K Run at its headquarters on Sunday with His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, presenting them special-edition commemorative medals.
Organised jointly by Dubai Sports Council and Pocari Sweat, which is an Ion supply drink from Japan that replenishes and balances body fluids lost through sweating and hydrates longer than water, the Run attracted hundreds of participants of all age and ability from around the world.
Participants were free to choose from two distances - 5km and 10km - and prizes were given to the top three finishers in each of the eight categories – 5km for Male and Female, indoors and outdoors, and 10km for Male and Female, indoors and outdoors.
Congratulating and welcoming the podium-finishers to Dubai Sports Council in the presence of Manoj Allen, Manager Business Development at Al Maya FMCG, HE Saeed Hareb said: “It is a great pleasure for us to see events like Pocari Sweat 10K Run attract so many participants, not just from the UAE, but from around the region and the world. It is particularly pleasing to see Emiratis participating in these events, especially ladies, and it is good to see them finishing on the podium.
“We will continue to organise such events, where are all sections of our community can enjoy the thrill of competition, but in a completely safe setting. Community sports and wellbeing is a big part of Dubai Sports Council’s planning, and we have always focused on promoting a physically active and healthy lifestyle for all members of our community.
“We thank our friends from Pocari Sweat for supporting us in organising this event. They have been our strategic partners for many years and this event will only strengthen our existing bonds, as we work together to spread the message of physical activity in the community.
“And, of course, we will continue to bring such events for the members of our community, alongside our partners like Pocari Sweat.”
Moroccan Abdelali El Bouazzaoui topped the charts in the Men’s 10K Outdoor Run, finishing ahead of compatriot Mohammed Mira and Bahrain’s Mohammed Al Mareesi, while Frenchwoman Latifa Essarokh took the honours in the Women’s 10K Outdoor Run, ahead of Jordan’s Ruba Al Masri and Floragine Espino of the Philippines.
Afghanistan’s Abdullah Ahmad won the Men’s 10K Indoor Run, while Jordan’s Abeer Al Najjar took top place in the Women’s 10K Indoor Run.
Morocco had two winners in the Men’s 5K Outdoor Run as well, with Anouar El Ghouz taking top spot and Radwan Bouchemale coming in third, behind Abdulsalam Ibrahim Farah of Somalia. The Women’s 5K Outdoor Run was won by United States’ Yusra Mansur, who finished ahead of the Emirati duo of Ruqayya Mohammed Al Marzooqi and Noor Kuhail.
Palestine’s Ahmed Loulou was fastest in the Men’s 5K Indoor race, while Amel Majid Al Muhairi of the UAE took the honours in the Women’s 5K Indoor Run.
The podium-finishers received special edition of commemorative medals, which have been issued by Dubai Sports Council to honour heroes who were at the frontline of Dubai’s fight against COVID-19.
The medals pay homage to the selfless service of Dubai Police and Dubai Civil Defence through the COVID-19 crisis, alongside the staff of Dubai Health Authority, and the First Responders of Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services. Together, they were at the forefront of Dubai’s fight to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, alongside volunteers from different segments of Dubai’s diverse community.
The medals are a continuation of Dubai Sports Council’s initiative to celebrate not just Dubai's iconic landmarks, but her heroes as well and immortalise their story. In the past, DSC's medals have featured some of the most famous cultural and tourist landmarks of Dubai like the majestic Dubai Frame and Burj Khalifa, the magnificent Museum of the Future and the stunning Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, alongside Hamdan Sports Complex, Tolerance Bridge and the Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve.
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