Oman's runners participate in UTMB Alpine race

MUSCAT: Five Omani runners have successfully completed the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), an annual race held in Chamonix, France, that draws thousands of runners from around the world.

Khalid bin Sulaiman al Hatmi and Khusaif bin Marhoon al Zakwani finished the longest distance of 175 km, ascending over 10,000 metres across a route that spans France, Italy and Switzerland before returning to Chamonix.

Meanwhile, runners Yaqoub bin Khalfan al Nadabi, Talal bin Hilal al Mahrouqi, and Khalid al Farsi completed the 100 km race, which featured an elevation gain of over 6,000 metres. The race stages were marked by challenging weather, including heavy rain, strong winds, and temperatures dropping to around 4 degrees Celsius. These conditions compounded the difficulty of the rugged mountain terrain, turning trails into muddy streams and treacherous slopes.