Alongside the 127 Elite athletes competing at the IPIC World Triathlon Abu Dhabi yesterday, more than 2,000 age group participants and spectators converged on the Corniche for one of the region’s most exciting triathlon races of the year.

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They raced the new course, re-designed for this year, ahead of Olympic and world champions early yesterday morning.

The event, debuting on the ITU World Triathlon Series, featured three distances to suit people of all abilities – the shorter Sprint, Olympic and testing Maxi disciplines.

The sprint consisted of 500m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run; the Olympic contained a 1,500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run; the daunting Maxi including a 2,000m swim, 80km cycle and 20km run.

More than 600 competitors had flown into Abu Dhabi from a breadth of countries including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Brazil, Great Britain, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Yemen and many more.

UAE national Mohammed Al Qubaisi, who competed in the Sprint event, said: “Hats off to organisers for this fabulous event. It is exactly what Abu Dhabi needs to encourage Emiratis to take up the sport at a young age.”

The 48-year-old completed the course in one hour, 31 minutes, three seconds.

Another keen Emirati, 38-year-old Saif Al Noaimi who posted a time of one hour, 55 minutes, 33 seconds, said: “I didn’t know what to expect for my first triathlon but I was hugely impressed. I can’t wait to sign up for next year’s race.”

After competing in the Under-18s Super Sprint in the Aquathlon on Friday, Bahraini teenager Abdulla Attiya finished 11th in yesterday’s adult sprint category.