Dubai Marathon 2025: World champions among thousands set to run 42km on January 12

Former world marathon champions and record holders are now completing last-minute training on Dubai's streets and roads before joining the city's renowned Marathon scheduled on Sunday.

Among them will be a man with special memories of the city. Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa became known on to the world marathon scene by winning a compelling Dubai Marathon back in 2013.

It was the start of a running journey that took him to running glory at the Boston Marathon in 2013 and 2015, the New York Marathon in 2018 before being crowned World Marathon Champion in Doha in 2019.

But while Desisa was one of the most successful marathon runners pre-pandemic, the man with the fastest time in the field is Kenyan star Dennis Kimetto – and although his 2:02:57 in Berlin was set a decade ago, it was the first sub 2:03 in marathon history and stood for four years.

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Kimetto has won three big city marathons during his career – Chicago, Tokyo and Berlin – breaking the course record at each and has fond memories of the UAE having won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 2012, a feat matched by Desisa two years later in 2014.

In the women’s elite field, 2022 Sydney Marathon winner Tigist Girma heads the line-up with a marathon personal best of 2:18:52, while compatriot Zeineba Yimer – winner of the 2023 Barcelona Marathon – and fellow Ethiopian and 2023 Dubai Marathon champion Dera Dida will also have title ambitions for the weekend with personal bests of 2:19:07 and 2:19:24 respectively.

Marathon debut

While the focus may have been on those who have already produced fast times at the world’s greatest marathon venues, a host of up-and-coming athletes are getting ready to write their own headlines in this year's marathon.

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