Participants during the event.
Doha, Qatar: Aspire Zone Foundation successfully concluded the first edition of Run the Dome 2026, held on August 28 and 29 at Aspire Dome, with strong participation from community members of different ages and nationalities. The two-day sporting event brought together participants in an energetic atmosphere filled with excitement, challenge, fun, and a strong spirit of competition.
The event featured four main categories: Open Women, Open Men, Qatari Women, and Qatari Men. Each group consisted of 20 participants who competed over a 4.8-kilometre course covering five laps inside Aspire Dome. Each race lasted 30 minutes, followed by a 10-minute break between groups preparing participants for the next race.
The races continued throughout the day until 8pm, with winners in each category determined based on the fastest recorded times. The event was designed as an inclusive community sporting experience, welcoming participants of different fitness levels and providing them with a unique opportunity to take on a sporting challenge inside one of the world’s leading indoor sports facilities.
The Run the Dome event witnessed the notable presence of a number of prominent figures and sponsors, including Chairman of Qatar Tourism H E Saad bin Ali Al Kharji; Acting Director General of Aspetar Khalid Al Mawlawi; Deputy Director General of Aspire Academy Ali Salem Afifa; Acting Director General of Aspire Logistics Nasser Abdullah Al Hajri; CEO of Visit Qatar Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi; CEO of Qatar Primary Materials Company Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al Tamimi; President of the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation Eng. Abdulaziz Al Tamimi; Chief Corporate Services Officer at Aspire Academy Ali Sultan Fakhroo; Executive Director of the Qatar Sports for All Federation Abdullah Al Dosari; Founder and CEO of Qommunication Dr. Nora AbuHleqa; Chief of Education & Students Affairs Officer Jassim Mohammed Al Jaber; Director of Communications and Public Relations at Qatar Rail Abdullah Ali Al Mawlawi; and Secretary-General of the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation Abdullah Shaheen Al Kaabi.
Success was not limited to securing a podium finish, as completing the race and crossing the finish line was an achievement in itself. All participants who completed the race received commemorative medals in recognition of their participation in the inaugural edition of the event.
A total of QR60,000 in prizes was awarded across the four categories. The winner in each category received QR7,000, while the second-place finisher received QR5,000 and the third-place finisher received QR3,000.
Nicole McIlvany clinched the Open Women’s title, finishing ahead of Jawaher Araki, who secured second place, while Malak Shadi Mohammed completed the podium in third position.
In the Open Men’s category, Muhannad Khamis emerged as the champion, with Shaker Afli taking second place. Mohammed Amin Qasmi finished third after an impressive performance.
Nora Yousef Al-Mutawa claimed top honours in the Qatari Women’s category, while Amina Al-Maarefi secured second place. Amal Khalifa Al-Harbi completed the top three with a third-place finish.
Meanwhile, Tamim Al-Kuwari was crowned champion in the Qatari Men’s category. Abdullah Mohammed Al-Minhali finished second, while Khalid Faraj Al-Ali secured third place.
