New date for Dubai Stan Chart marathon

By Diego Souza in Dubai

The Standard Chartered-sponsored Dubai Marathon has been pushed forward to February 17.

The marathon, which has attracted a record field of 14,000 runners, was postponed from the originally scheduled January 6 date due to the sudden death of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE's Prime Minister.

The race has emerged as easily the Middle East's most prestigious marathon, with a combined purse of up to $150,000 (Sh10.8m).

The Standard Chartered also sponsors the Greatest Race on Earth series Ñ four marathons rolled into one epic contest starting in the high altitudes of Nairobi a world away from the finish line in downtown Hong Kong.

A portion of the proceedings goes towards providing funds for the ÔSeeing is BelievingÕ fund Ñ a Standard

Chartered global initiative that works with Vision 2020 and the Right to Sight initiative aims at restoring the eyesight of one million people around the world by the end of 2006.

ÒEvery 25 dirham entry fee for the 3km Charity Run at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon will go to towards this initiative,Ó said Ray Ferguson, Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Bank UAE.

Kenyan runners have a fine record of success in the event.

The course record is held by Joseph Kahugu, who ran 2.09.33 in 2003.

But the fastest man in the field for the event is Titus Munji, who clocked 2.06.15 when he finished third in Berlin in 2003.

Ahmad Al Kamali, chairman of the event, said at a press conference on Tuesday that some of the athletes may not be able to compete in the Dubai event as they will be committed with the London and Berlin marathons.

He, however, said that registration for the Dubai event would continue.