Dubai marathon becomes richest of the richest

DUBAI: The 2008 Dubai Marathon will be the richest long distance running event in history after it was announced on Saturday that should one of the winners of the men's or women's races break the world road race record then they would earn a million dollar bonus.

The first prize for both men and women for the Marathon on January 18, 2008 will be $250,000.

That doubles the current leading marathon prize of $125,000 for the Chicago Marathon. The further attraction for leading runners is that the Dubai prize money is tax-free.

The race was the idea of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai, who wants to make the 10-year-old marathon equal to the status of other multi-million dollar sports events in Dubai, such as the Dubai World Cup horse race, the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, and the Dubai Tennis Open.

The million-dollar prize fund means the Dubai race is by far the richest event on the marathon calendar easily outstripping the prize money available in the big five races in London, Berlin, New York, Chicago and Boston.