Abu Dhabi Education Council and Yas Marina Circuit organize a marathon for schools to identify talented athletes

Abu Dhabi, February 25th 2015 - The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) Marathon takes place on Thursday at the Yas Marina Circuit which is supporting this initiative by ADEC to educate the young generation about the benefits of engaging in sports and following a healthy lifestyle.

The initiative aims to build a generation of talented athletes by hosting the inaugural edition of ADEC Marathon, which is expected to witness the participation of 3,000 students from schools across the emirate of Abu Dhabi who will run on the circuit which is used for the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grandprix.

Mr. Nasser Khamis, Director of Extra-curricular Activities Department at the ADEC urges all parents and students to participate in this marathon which falls under the "Champions of Tomorrow" initiative, launched by ADEC earlier this month.

Participation in the marathon and other sports activities helps youth discover their talent in a particular sport, while educating them on the benefits of sports.

Mr. Al Tareq Al Amri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit said: “We are keen advocates of a change towards a healthier lifestyle among all ages and so we are delighted to partner with Abu Dhabi Education Council and to host the very first ADEC Schools Run. This is a fantastic opportunity to get people interested in the benefits of exercise from a young age and to support the UAE government’s wider initiative on producing athletic stars in the future.”

Students between the ages of 8 to 10 years will participate in the first group on a separate race length of 1 km, the second group of students will compete for the 3 km run, and the third group of students will participate in a 5 km race. The winners in each category will be felicitated for their efforts on a podium which will be built at the venue.

Many other entertaining events and activities will be available during the marathon such as the free art stand, heritage village, challenging games , walking in the circuit, Jiu-Jitsu and the opportunity to test one’s body mass index, plus an additional set of tests for all students participating in the marathon.

ADEC’s Marathon offers a new opportunity which enables Yas marina circuit to acquaint the younger generation on the importance of sports, while encouraging them to practice and improve their fitness level.

Participation in this social sport activity is available for Emiratis and expatriates students from the fourth school year, all the way up to high school. Participations are divided into three categories, where students participate in similar groups in terms of age and individual physical ability.

This cooperation between ADEC and Yas marina circuit aims to encourage community members to exercise and follow healthy lifestyle habits by organizing many sporting and health events. These events have attracted close to 200,000 people over the past year.