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From toddlers to 78-year-olds: UAE minister joins crowds as Dubai Mallathon lands at DXB
Dubai Mallathon made its airport debut; more sessions are planned
- PUBLISHED: Fri 7 Aug 2026, 1:31 PM
Hundreds of UAE residents, ranging from two to 78 years old, turned Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport (DXB) into a jogging track on Friday morning.
The event was part of the Dubai Mallathon initiative, which returned for its second edition this year. Launched on June 15 and extended to September 15 — up from just one month last year — the initiative takes place at six malls across the city and is open to all, with no registration required. This was the first time the event was held at DXB, with more airport sessions planned. Unlike the other mallathons, this was an invite-only event.
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Among the participants were UAE Minister of Economy & Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, other top officials, government employees, people of determination, senior citizens, students, and Team Angel Wolf, a non profit organisation championing inclusion in sports.
For 60-year-old Faiza, Friday's run was one of many Mallathon sessions she has joined this summer. She was part of the senior citizens group under the Community Development Authority (CDA), which meets weekly for various activities. Many of the women in her group wore the traditional golden-coloured battoulah as they stretched and warmed up before jogging past the smart gates and baggage check-in area.
"Every Saturday, we have been meeting at the Dubai Hills Mall for the Mallathon," Faiza told Khaleej Times, as she walked with her group of over 30 peers. "Some of those in our team are 75 and 78. We love staying active together. It is a great way to stay healthy."
Early morning wake up
For many participants, the mallathon was a way to bond with their family. One of the youngest participants of the run was two-year-old Reyansh, who accompanied his father Love Kumar. Dressed in a bright jersey and a cap, he held his father’s hand tightly as runners raced past him. He even high-fived some of the other participants “He woke up at 6am, all excited to come for the run,” said Love. “He enjoys doing activities with me and I thought this was a great initiative to do together.”
Along the jogging track, there were stations by Costa Coffee to give runners refreshments. Many of them grabbed cold coffees and lemonades on their way to completing the track.
Indian expat Stelbin, who lives in Al Barsha South drove over 30km to Terminal 3 with her son Aiden to participate in the event. “It was a fun event,” said Aiden. “We ran about three loops of the track. I was happy to wake up early in the morning because it is the summer break and I get to sleep in the other days.”
Member of the Senses Residential Home in Jumeirah brought ten of their students to participate in the event. “It was a great fun morning for the students,” said a marshal from the special needs centre which is one of the first residential care facilities in the Middle East catering to orphans and abandoned children. “They really enjoyed getting some activity and having social interactions with other participants of the mallathon.”
