UAE: 50 people swim, bike and run for 50 hours to fund 9-year-old's heart surgery

Fifty sports enthusiasts swam, biked, and ran for 50 consecutive hours to help fund a life-saving surgery for a 9-year-old boy.

They covered a total of 2,511km — equivalent to the distance from Dubai to Khartoum, the boy’s hometown — and raised Dh50,000.

‘I Love Supersport Dubai’, a UAE-based endurance training sports school, organised ‘Challenge 50/50/50’ during the UAE National Day.

Marwan, the 9-year-old-boy, suffers from high pulmonary pressure and fibrosis in the lungs. The funds raised during the event will support Marwan’s family in handling the medical expenses of the heart surgery.

The 50 participants started the challenge at Hamdan Sports Complex at the stroke of midnight on December 2. They powered on till 2am on December 4. They covered 141km swimming; 1,860km cycling; and 510km running.

The aim of the challenge was to celebrate the UAE’s values of giving on the 50th National Day.

ALSO READ:

• Covid-19 Omicron variant: UAE urges residents to get vaccine booster shots

• UAE's medical data platforms to be unified to create world-class healthcare system

• Covid-19 treatment: Abu Dhabi to provide new medicine for mild symptoms

Rinat Mustafin, co-founder of I Love Supersport Dubai and IRONSTAR Triathlon, said: "Through this initiative, we wanted to raise awareness about Marwan’s condition, while encouraging UAE residents to be active and adopt a culture of sports into their lives.”

Mustafin, UAE resident for the past 12 years, said there was no better way to celebrate the country’s 50th National Day than through promoting an active lifestyle and healthy living.

The event was carried out in collaboration with Al Jalila Foundation and endorsed by Dubai Sports Council.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE