His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr crowns the champions of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, stressed that organizing and hosting international sporting events is a fundamental pillar of Ras Al Khaimah's ambitious vision, as the emirate seeks to be a global model in the sports tourism sector by attracting a group of the world's most prominent stars, developing sports infrastructure, enhancing awareness of the importance of physical activity, and encouraging different segments of society to participate in sporting events with the aim of improving the quality of life.

This came during His Highness's attendance of the 18th edition of the "Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon 2025" race, which was held on Al Marjan Island, with the participation of a group of the most famous international runners, both male and female, and a large number of members of society.

His Highness stressed that the success of the event over the past years has enabled it to occupy a distinguished position on the agenda of half-marathon races around the world, as it is one of the most prominent at the regional and international levels, and enjoys the participation of an elite group of international professional runners, and a large number of community members, which has strengthened the position of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah as a global sports and tourism destination, and added to its record of achievements and comprehensive development path.

His Highness pointed out that the race reflects the extent of the emirate's interest in establishing a sports culture in the community, as it is not just a hobby, but a lifestyle that enhances physical health, strengthens the bonds of cohesion between members of society, and contributes to building aware generations that are physically and mentally capable of assuming leadership and responsibility.

His Highness launched the start signal for the race, which included a distance of 21 kilometers for professional runners, and 10, 5 and 2 kilometers for community members.

At the end of the race, His Highness the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah crowned the winners of the first places, praising the outstanding performance of the competitors and the strength of the competition.

Kenyan Matata (27 years old) dominated the race, recording a personal best time of 59:20 minutes, 5 seconds ahead of Ethiopian Gemachew Dida who recorded a time of 59:25 minutes, while Kenyan Isaiah Lasui came in third place with a time of 59:26 minutes.

In the women’s race, Ethiopian star Taye won first place with a time of 65:52 minutes, while Kenyan Judy Kimui came in second with a time of 66:34 minutes and her compatriot Jessica Chelangat came in third with a time of 66:53 minutes.

It is worth noting that the 18th edition of the annual Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon witnessed a record number of participants, which reached more than 10,000 participants, in addition to a large participation from school students in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, who will add a beautiful touch to the fast flat course of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.