Almouj Muscat Marathon attracts record entries

Muscat: The popular Almouj Muscat Marathon, scheduled for January 27, is poised for worldwide attention after organisers Muscat Road Runners joined forces with Oman Sail in a bid to develop the annual event into a ‘must-do’ marathon with global appeal.
With a record 1,300 entries representing 74 nations, which is over double the 2016 field, set to run the 2017 edition of the Almouj Muscat Marathon, the event is already on track for its most successful year yet and well on its way to joining the top league of international marathons.
In its sixth year, the Muscat Marathon has grown steadily in popularity with runners taking to the roads around the Sultanate’s capital city on routes that showcase its most striking locations.
As the international marathon circuit flourishes, with more and more people using long distance running as a platform for travel, the Muscat Marathon on January 27 will mark the start of an exciting new avenue to promote the Sultanate as a high-end tourism and sporting destination.
Oman Sail is an experienced sporting event organiser, with an outstanding track record of attracting and hosting world class global sporting competitions, including the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Oman, the Extreme Sailing Series, multiple world championships and the Trans Hajar mountain bike race 2014 and 2015. Alongside the Muscat Road Runners, Oman Sail will be striving to boost the event by increasing entries, making it more competitive and more sustainable.
The Muscat Marathon will feature three event distances: the marathon, half marathon and a 10km run with routes for all three expected to be announced in the coming days.
“We are delighted with this record number of entries,” said Oman Sail’s Chief Marketing Officer Salma Al Hashmi.
“Our vision is to directly impact the economy of Oman by establishing the Sultanate as the region’s leading sports tourism destination, we seek to create direct in country value by working with SMEs and to inspire and train young Omanis to work in the sports tourism industry.
“Our country’s beautiful natural environment gives us a competitive advantage and with more and more people using long distance running and sport in general as a platform for travel, we seek to put Almouj Muscat Marathon at the heart of this strategy.”