FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WORLD TUNES IN FOR RICHEST MARATHON RACE IN HISTORY
- Over 100 Million Homes Hope To See World Record in the Making -
Dubai (UAE): With the world's richest ever marathon offering a cool $1
million bonus for a new world record, media interest in the 2008 Standard
Chartered Dubai Marathon has never been greater with over 100 million homes
expected to watch the drama unfold over 42.2km of the highways of Dubai.
Filmed exclusively by Dubai Sports Channel as part of its new five-year
deal between the broadcaster and the event, the race will also be seen by
viewers of Sky Sports (UK and Ireland), Supersport (Africa), Fox Sports
(Australia), Ten Sports (Indian subcontinent, Middle East, Indonesia and
Hong Kong), Starhub Singapore, Showtime Middle East and North Africa and,
of course, Dubai Sports Channel.
"The interest in the event is at an all time high and footage will also
reach over 100 countries across the globe through a number of
internationally distributed programmes such as Show World of Athletics"
said Event Director Peter Connerton.
With world record holder Haile Gebrselassie making his last marathon
appearance before chasing Olympic gold later in the year in Beijing,
athletics fans are eager to see if the little Ethiopian can break his world
best of 2:04:26 and sprint off with the $1 million bonus. And with a field
that also includes Sammy Korir, Lorna Kiplagat, Berhane Adere and last
year's winners Willy Rotich and Askale Tafa Magarsa, the media interest is
understandable.
Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice
President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and staged
under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai
Marathon will see over 1,000 runners compete over a classic distance that
will take them along the coast of the sun-kissed emirate and past some of
the world's most iconic new developments.
Writers, photographers and TV crews have descended on the city in their
dozens in a manner normally only associated with sports such as football,
golf, cricket and tennis.
"Haile Gebrselassie is a sporting legend who attracts the media wherever he
runs," said Event General Co-ordinator Ahmad Al Kamali. "Add in the fact
that he is running in the sport's richest-ever race in one of the world's
most exciting cities and it is understandable why so many media have
decided to cover the event."
In addition to film crews from Europe and Asia, the marathon has attracted
writers from countries such as Brazil, Mexico, USA, Germany, UK and Japan
as the global media focuses on a slight 34 year-old African who breaks
world bests with apparent ease and heads to Dubai focused on record number
27.
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