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Abu Dhabi: The UAE-sponsored Annual Zayed Memorial International Charity 10-km race, to be held on Saturday in New York, is expected to attract nearly 10,000 runners.
Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Mohammad Ali Amer, Chairman of the event's Organising Committee said, the annual event will be raising funds for the National Kidney Foundation.
"This year a nine-man team of UAE long distance runners will take part in the event, which has become a popular event since it started three years ago," he said.
"Organised by the Armed Forces Officers Club, the race is held in Central New York and, apart from the 50-odd professionals, the rest of the thousands are all there to show their support for the cause," he said.
Major role
The event is held under the banner of the UAE embassy in the US with the New York Road Runners playing a major role in organising it.
Apart from the AFOC, du, Al Qudra Holding, Etihad airways and many other companies are supporting the race.
"We have a plan together to enlarge this race to a four-race series, which will include New York while Cairo, Beirut and London are the other cities likely to stage it.
"The plan is in the final stages and we are awaiting a nod from Major General Mohammad Hilal Al Ka'abi, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and chief of the UAE Athletic Federation," he added.
"Outdoor advertising elements carrying the picture of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan have already come up in New York and this event is growing in popularity with each passing year. In the year 2005 around 2,200 runners took part in the Zayed Race and this figure grew to 7,200 last year," said an official.
The winner of the professional section will get $7,500 while the second, third, fourth and fifth-placed runners will get $5,000, $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 respectively.
A course record bonus of $20,000 is also on offer. Apart from this there are other prizes for amateurs and persons with special needs.
The UAE runners, who left yesterday for the race, are: Badr Hareb Saif, Ali Mussabeh Subt, Ali Khalifa Mohammad, Saif Ahmad Salem, Ali Salem Saif Ghaithy and Badr Ali Shamsi with Saleh Ali Sultan and Fathalla Abdullah Fathalla accompanying the team as Coach and Manager.
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