STAY FIT DUBAI THE MOVEMENT HAS BEGUN
PEOPLE
35,000 people registered for the challenge through the app and 10,000 made their way to Safa Park on the first day of the event. Residents from different nationalities took a pledge to dedicate 30 minutes for exercise for 30 days.
PLACES
88 venues will host 1,500 events for the next 30 days to motivate Dubai residents. More than 500 fitness equipment have been placed in entertainment centres and parks. Offices and schools are also participating in the challenge.
ACTIVITIES
The city will host celebrity training sessions and live shows. There will also be opportunities to try over 40 exciting sports and other activities for all ages and fitness levels. The challenge was thrown by Sheikh Hamdan.
Whatever Dubai does, it does in style and that is how the 30day Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) kicked off on Friday at Safa Park.
From 1pm onwards, amid celebrity appearances and exciting line up of fitness acts and events, people of all age-groups got into the fitness mode. The event kickstarted with around five SkyDive Dubai divers swooping through at a speed of over 100km per hour and landing in the middle of the main stage area at Safa Park among the cheering crowd.
Around 35,000 people have registered for the challenge through the DXB challenge app and over 10,000 people made their way to the park on Friday to pledge that they would dedicate at least 30 minutes everyday to a physical activity of their choice, for the next 30 days.
The call to take up the fitness challenge by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council for Dubai, was answered with great enthusiasm by Dubai residents, who braved the heat to spend their precious weekend for the challenge.
The first-of-its-kind challenge began with a free, action-packed event at the park (taking place on October 20–21) and included appearances by former England football captain Rio Ferdinand and performers of Dubai’s live show La Perle. Ferdinand, the winner of six Premier League titles and a Champions League medal, said: “The DFC is exciting for me and I’m happy to be involved. I train regularly not just for myself, but also for my mind; those 30 minutes can be the most chilled out time of your day. Regardless of age, we need to be more active, motivated and understand that being fit and generally just moving should be part of our lifestyle.”
Virgin Radio RJ Kris Fade was on stage working the crowds, encouraging them to take part in different fitness challenges and giving out sporting prizes to lucky participants. Saeed Hareb, sec-gen of Dubai Sports Council (DSC), said: “DSC has already begun organising events for this initiative and 88 places across the city will host 1,500 events during these 30 days. Sports is easy to practice in Dubai and DSC has always encouraged the government to make more spaces for physical activity. There are more than 500 sports equipment in different grounds around the city.”
A few of the sports at the ‘Come and Try Fitness Zone’ include American football, basketball, boxing, cricket, golf, Plyo Box vertical jump, strength training, suspension training, touch rugby and volleyball. Extreme and action sports specialists XDubai performed a signature stunt with the X-factor to mark DFC’s official opening. Additionally, performers from the spectacular La Perle show also descended on the opening weekend carnival with thrilling actionpacked performances.
For Yoga enthusiasts there was a free Global Mala — or “mala around the earth” — hosted by YogaFest Dubai. The event was part of a worldwide effort to unite people through positivity, intention and mindfulness.
Star of UK TV show The Biggest Loser, Rob ‘The Killer’ Edmunds was live on the main stage, getting the crowd to work up a sweat by bringing to life training routines seen on the popular programme, including a boot camp session.
saman@khaleejtimes.com
Regardless of age, we need to be more active, motivated and understand that being active should be part of our lifestyle.” Rio Ferdinand English former footballer