Basra hosts first international half-marathon, draws runners from 44 countries

BASRA — The city of Basra hosted its first international half-marathon on Friday, attracting 147 runners from 44 countries in an event hailed as the largest of its kind in the city’s history.

The 21-kilometer race began at the Sports City complex and ended at the Shatt al-Arab Corniche, drawing strong public turnout and praise for its organization.

African runners dominated the top spots, delivering record-breaking times and reaffirming their long-distance racing dominance. The first-place winner completed the course in one hour and five minutes. Prizes ranged from $10,000 for the winner to $1,000 for the tenth-place finisher.

Jordanian runner Heba Hammoud told 964media, “Basra is beautiful despite the high temperatures, and the organization was better than last year’s event in Baghdad. I participated in the 10 km race last year and won tenth place. This year I participated in the 21 km race. The competition was very tough because there were many Kenyan and Ethiopian competitors, as well as runners from India, Japan, and Iran. I finished in thirteenth place. The road conditions were difficult, but the crowd’s encouragement helped us through the race.”

Ugandan runner Folis Stone, who finished third, praised the event. “This is my first time participating in the Basra marathon. The organization was very good, and the city is very beautiful and charming,” he said. “I will work next year to achieve first or second place.”

Zaidoun Jawad, executive director of the Iraqi Athletics Federation, said financial prizes were key to attracting participants from abroad. “The agreement with the organizing committee was to set financial prizes to attract a large number of participants, including Iraqi runners, aiming to bring in more runners from different countries,” he said. “Financial prizes are awarded to the top 10 foreign runners, the top 10 Iraqi runners, and the top 10 female runners from foreign countries.”

Iraqi runner Hatem Sayyed Sahib, who placed third among Iraqi competitors, said the event showcased a positive image of Iraq. “I achieved third place in the first edition of the Basra International Marathon, competing against participants from 44 countries around the world,” he said. “Such competitions reflect a successful image of Iraq, not just in soccer, and we thank those responsible for organizing this event.”