Al Mouj Muscat Marathon to be an AbbottWMM Qualifier
Al Mouj Muscat Marathon joined an exclusive club, which features New York Marathon, to offer ranking points for the Abbott World Marathon Majors (Abbott WMM) Wanda Age Group World Championships in 2021.
The organisers of 2020 Al Mouj Muscat Marathon said that becoming an official qualifying race for the AbbottWMM is a 'big boost' as it now joins the likes of other qualifying marathons spread around the world, such as Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, and Chicago.
“The Al Mouj Muscat Marathon has been growing while acquiring an increasing international profile,” said David Graham, CEO of event organiser Oman Sail. “Being named as an AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying event is further recognition of the inspiring progress of the Muscat Marathon itself, as well as the expanding appeal of Oman as a sports tourism destination.
“The Al Mouj Muscat Marathon is a culmination of joint efforts and I would like to thank the Ministry of Sports Affairs, and the Oman Athletic Association and Muscat Road Runners for their direction and support.”
The second AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking season began in October and has already seen the 16 year old record of Al Mouj Muscat
Marathon International Ambassador Paula Radcliffe broken by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei in Chicago.
The ranking season will end at the Chicago Marathon in October 2020, with the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships held in the Spring of 2021.
“Throughout the last year, good health, relentless determination and a competitive spirit has fuelled hundreds of age group participants to push further in their racing journey,” said Chris Miller, divisional vice-president of AbbottWMM.
“We’re excited to expand the number of qualifying events and recognise more runners as they compete and prove what’s possible with good health and inspire so many others along the way.”
The Al Mouj Muscat Marathon caters from the elite to the new-runner, with the flat route and average temperatures of between 20 and 25°C meaning it is the perfect event to achieve a new personal best.
Given the ideal conditions, it is no surprise that the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon has grown rapidly from 135 competitors in the inaugural event in 2012, to over 8,000 across all events at the eighth edition in January 2019.
That number is expected to swell again in 2020, with more than 10,000 projected to participate in the two-day running festival on January 17-18.
As well as Olympian and world champion Paula Radcliffe, a host of Omani stars will be taking part, with West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper and Oman legend Ali al Habsi, tennis player Fatma al Nabhani, Youth Olympic Games show-jumping silver medallist Sultan al Touqi, 2019 Blancpain Endurance ProAm champion Ahmad al Harthy, sprinter Barakat al Harthi, and Olympic sailing hopeful Musab Al Hadi, all ambassadors for the event.
The 2020 edition will again feature the main marathon event on the opening day, along with the half-marathon and 10km races. The popular 5km Fun Run and the Kids’ Run will be held on day two.