Hundreds of Filipino running enthusiasts laced up their running shoes and joined the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo last Friday. They were among the 15,000 participants, including world-class elite runners, who thronged Qatar’s most popular running event.
The participants raced over multiple distances to test their fitness levels and support a cause, as proceeds from the race will be donated to local charities across the country.
The largest Doha Marathon in history featured various race categories such as Marathon 42km at 6:15am, Half Marathon 21km at 7:35am, the 10km at 8:30am, the 5km at 9:10am, the Junior 5km for ages 13-17 at 9:10am, and Kids 1km for those under 13 at 10:30am.
Among the Filipinos who marked victory at the finish line were Lilet Lopase, Rutchel Carbajal, Hayzel Heyasa, Christine Manalo, Tina Alvarez, Cocoi Suazo and some members of the Bisaya Triathlon Club (BTC).
Marathoner Lopase, a member of BTC, has been taking part in the Ooredoo Marathon since 2020. Last year, she took part in the Dubai full marathon. This time, she finished 21km at the latest Ooredoo race.
“Our flatmate, who is a triathlete, encouraged me and my colleague Rutchel to start running. Since then, we’ve always been joining marathons,” she said.
Being an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Qatar for a decade now, she believes that staying active in sports is key to a healthy work-life balance.
Many Filipinos in Qatar resort to exercise and sports as their way to stay healthy while working hard abroad to support their families back home.
Runners who completed the run each received a finisher medal to commemorate the experience and achievement.
