The ultramarathon runners conquering the desert trails of the UAE

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Lee Harris and colleagues tackling the desert terrains of the UAE. (Supplied)
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Updated 17 March 2021
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The ultramarathon runners conquering the desert trails of the UAE

  • Lee Harris and Kathleen Leguin are part of a special breed of athletes who have mastered running as an endurance sport

DUBAI: Lee Harris isn’t too keen on running marathons. But not in the way so many people aren’t keen on running marathons.

For the Dubai resident, marathons are just not long enough. Now, if you are talking about ultramarathons — those brutal tests of endurance that can range from 50 to hundreds of kilometers, and last from days to over a week — you’ve got his attention.

“Running a marathon had never really been something that appealed to me,” Harris, 50, told Arab News. “I enjoyed running and I used running as a basis for training for other sports. I started running longer distances when I got into my 40s and I thought marathons are based on more speed on the road, and I was looking for a test of skill.”

The numbers involved in ultramarathons, over time, become staggering. Harris has notched up 21,000 klimeters around the mountains and deserts of the UAE over the past decade. The more than 750,000 meters of accumulated ascent and descent is the equivalent of running up and down Mount Everest 42 times.

Harris, a fitness trainer from the UK, became interested in ultramarathons after watching a colleague train for the Marathon des Sables - seven marathons across the Sahara.

He has now been running ultramarathons for more than 10 years, and says such distances require a specific set of skills. Marathon runners race against the clock, but Harris says that as he get older he started to look for the longer, slower run. And bit of outdoor adventure as well.

He was born and raised in the English county of Cornwall and calls himself a “rural person.” He excelled at weightlifting, boxing — for seven years at the Royal Navy — and cross-country running. After mastering how to run a marathon on trail, he managed a 50km ultramarathon in training. His first competitive ultramarathon was the punishing 220km race around Manaslu mountain in Nepal.

For him, it’s all about efficiency. And on the long trails, he had found a physical and mental challenge. 

“It’s a bit of a reconnection, when you’re out there you see what mother nature’s really like,” he said. “The environment is fantastic, we lose a bit of that when we live in the cities. The first thing I noticed being out in the mountains, my whole world switches off. There’s so many colors, there are so many smells and the terrain is always different. It doesn’t matter if you run the same route all the time, you always learn something different about it. That’s what mother nature is all about.”

On Friday, Harris will take part in the Al-Marmoom Ultramarathon over 50km.




Lee Harris at the Grand to Grand ultramarathon in the US. (Supplied)

Joining him will be French Dubai resident Kathleen Leguin who says running an ultramarathon brings out a range of emotions in her, from occasional despair to eventual joy.

“I know now, from experience, there will always be one low moment at some point,” she told Arab News. “It can be in the beginning, in the middle or near the end. When I start I’m always quite happy, excited, and bit nervous at the start line, because I like to do well and compete for the top places,” she added.

“But we know, because the races are so long, that at some point things will not go as planned. I kind of like it because there is a lot of problem solving. And yet toward the end when you see that finish line, it feels good because it’s such a long day out.

“Suddenly you feel like you can go even longer,” said Leguin, 34, before quickly adding: “It doesn’t last long, I’ll be honest. But suddenly you can run faster than what you thought was possible, you do have that extra energy.”

Leguin moved to the UAE in 2010 and only took up running four years ago. After only a year she had already progressed to ultramarathons. Going back is not always exciting for her.

“Shorter distances on roads, I find that to be boring now,” she said. “I’m not the most comfortable at it, but I sometimes like to do shorter races to push myself and get out of the comfort zone. For me, the shorter it is, the more difficult it is. I know it sounds a bit weird but that’s how it is, the roads I found boring but put me on short distance trail, I do enjoy it.

“I prefer it, the more technical and the more we can climb, the happier I am,” Leguin added. “I like running on road and discovering a city, but still the movement is repetitive, I cannot go as along as when you take me on a trail. I can go for hours or days out there.”

With ultramarathons seemingly bordering on spiritual experiences, it’s not surprising the trails themselves have ingrained themselves in the psyche of the runners. For Harris, that first one in Manaslu takes some beating.

“Absolutely amazing race, it will always be my favorite in the sense it was my first one, it got me addicted to it,” he said. “One of the toughest ones I’ve done was the Grand to Grand, which is the 274km, six-stager, over seven days, self-supported race from the Grand Canyon to the Grand Staircase in Utah.”

While the emotion and mindset no doubt play a big part, a runner has little chance of success without mastering the more technical aspects of the ultramarathon.

Runners carry their own gear — including food and nutrition — with them, while the organizers supply water and a tent, often shared with six to eight other competitors. It’s up to each individual to gauge what is needed for the duration of the run.

The participants are given a window of time to complete a certain stage, so the faster they complete it, the more time they save to eat, rest and sleep.

“I’ve done a non-stop 300km self-supported (race) which was the toughest race I’ve ever done and that was in the Oman desert,” Harris said. “It’s 150km over the mountains and then 150km through the Wahiba sands. All they supplied was checkpoints every 15 to 20km, and those checkpoints just supported you with water and you had to carry all your gear with you.”

It took him 89 hours to complete.

Friday’s 50km might seem like a gentle jog in comparison, but Harris hasn’t got to where he is today by disrespecting the task ahead.

“I’m always nervous when I go to these sort of things,” he said. “I’m always looking to improve myself. I’m 50 years old now, the journey never ends, so I’m looking forward to it in that it’s another test of everything that I’ve learned. I don’t know how it will go, the great thing about those things is that they’re an unknown factor. How my body reacts to it, I’ll never know till I get out there.”


Benfica knock out Auckland in Club World Cup romp

Updated 57 min 41 sec ago
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Benfica knock out Auckland in Club World Cup romp

  • With the Portuguese side leading by a goal at half-time the match was suspended because of a storm
  • Despite their eventual collapse, Auckland battled hard in the first half

ORLANDO: Benfica romped to a 6-0 win over Auckland City on Friday in a Club World Cup match in Orlando which suffered a long weather delay, with Angel Di Maria netting two penalties.

With the Portuguese side leading by a goal at half-time the match was suspended because of a storm, eventually resuming two hours later.

Auckland of New Zealand, the only Oceania Football Confederation representatives at the tournament, were thrashed 10-0 by Bayern Munich in their Group C opener and this defeat means they are eliminated.

Despite their eventual collapse, Auckland battled hard in the first half and almost made it to the break unscathed.

Auckland goalkeeper Nathan Garrow made several good saves to keep Benfica at bay and the Portuguese side grew frustrated.

Benfica took the lead deep into first half stoppage time when Gianluca Prestianni was clumsily felled in the area by Haris Zeb.

Di Maria, who converted a spot-kick in the opening 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors, sent Garrow the wrong way.

At half-time the match became the fourth in the last four days at the tournament to be impacted by a suspension for adverse conditions, with a storm arriving at the Inter&CO Stadium.

When play eventually resumed, Benfica came back out strongly.

Vangelis Pavlidis bundled his way through and smashed home to double Bruno Lage’s team’s lead in the 53rd minute, with Renato Sanches netting the third 10 minutes later from outside the box with a deflected effort.

Luxembourg midfielder Leandro Barreiro bagged a brace to expand Benfica’s lead, tucking home at the back post from Pavlidis’ cross for the fourth before netting from close range.

Nikko Boxall brought down Di Maria in stoppage time and the Argentine World Cup winner beat Garrow from the spot again to wrap up Benfica’s emphatic triumph.

Later Friday German giants Bayern Munich take on Argentine outfit Boca Juniors in the other Group C match.


Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for huge fee that could climb to $156m

Updated 20 June 2025
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Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for huge fee that could climb to $156m

  • “I feel very happy and very proud,” Wirtz told the official Liverpool website
  • “Finally it’s done and I was waiting for a long time”

LONDON: Liverpool delivered a huge statement of intent after winning the Premier League title by signing Germany star Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday.

The transfer fee could climb to 116 million pounds ($156 million), which would make the 22-year-old Wirtz the most expensive player in the history of British soccer.

“I feel very happy and very proud,” Wirtz told the official Liverpool website. “Finally it’s done and I was waiting for a long time.

“I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.

“I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it’s perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I’m really looking forward to playing my first game.”

Liverpool, determined to keep moving forward despite securing a record-tying 20th English top-flight title, splashed out a club record to bring in not only one of the best players from Germany, but one of the top youngsters in the world.


Wirtz has been a key first-team player for Leverkusen since he was 17. He was the outstanding attacking player in the team that won the Bundesliga and German Cup in 2023-24 without losing a game, and is a regular in Germany’s national team.

It’s why Liverpool were ready to pay a guaranteed 100 million pounds, plus 16 million pounds in potential add-ons. Wirtz had two years left on his contract, giving Leverkusen leverage in negotiations.

The Premier League record for an initial fee was set when Chelsea signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for 106.7 million pounds ($131.4 million at the time) in 2023, before the London club agreed to pay up to 115 million pounds ($146 million at the time) for midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton later that year.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot arrived last summer and signed just one outfield player — forward Federico Chiesa — for the 2024-25 season.

Chiesa barely played and the Reds won the league by 10 points, after which Slot and some of his players — including Virgil van Dijk — spoke about there being big plans for this transfer window.

Having already signed right wing back Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen for a reported 35 to 40 million euros ($39.7 million to $45.4 million), Liverpool have returned to the German club to take Wirtz, who rejected an opportunity to join Bayern Munich — a Bundesliga rival which have long pursued him.

One obstacle to that move was the size of the fee Leverkusen wanted. Another was concern over how Wirtz might fit into the same lineup as Jamal Musiala, Germany’s other standout young attacking midfielder.

Losing Wirtz leaves Leverkusen and their new coach, Erik ten Hag with an even bigger rebuild following the departure of Xabi Alonso for Real Madrid.

Just after his 17th birthday, Wirtz became the youngest player in Leverkusen’s history when he made his debut against Werder Bremen in May 2020, in an empty stadium at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A month later he was the youngest player to score in Bundesliga history, though that record has since been topped.

Wirtz’s versatile attacking midfield play was a vital ingredient in Alonso transforming Leverkusen into a team that could win the Bundesliga and German Cup without losing a game.

He and Alonso stayed for another sometimes-disappointing season which ended with second place to Bayern in the league and a loss to Bayern in the Champions League round of 16.

Wirtz showed he can deal with adversity when a cruciate ligament tear in his knee ruled him out for almost all of 2022 — including Alonso’s first games as coach — before he returned to power Leverkusen to their league and cup double in 2023-24.

Wirtz has become a vital player for the German national team with 29 caps. He played all five of their matches at Euro 2024 on home soil.

He’s also had to contend with hostility from fans of his boyhood club Cologne, which he left for nearby Leverkusen at 16. Liverpool and Bayern were reportedly interested then, too.

Cologne claimed that deal broke an agreement between the clubs not to pursue each other’s youth players. Leverkusen argued Wirtz was so talented that he counted as a first-team player despite his age.

Cologne and Leverkusen are barely 10 kilometers (6 miles) apart, so going to Liverpool will be the first time that Wirtz has moved away from his roots.

His parents Hans Wirtz and Karin Gross have played a big role in his career — they were also his agents until last year — and he’s close to his older sister Juliane, a professional player for Werder Bremen in the women’s Bundesliga.

Wirtz’s decision to turn down Bayern and the Bundesliga for Liverpool has caused some raised eyebrows in Germany.

“I wouldn’t have thought Florian would make this switch so early,” former Germany great Lothar Matthäus told broadcaster n-tv last month. “But he wants to get out of his comfort zone.”

Wirtz seems likely to slot in as the No. 10 at Liverpool, a more creative solution in that role compared to the hard-running Dominik Szoboszlai.

Whether Slot also now pushes for a new striker as an upgrade to current options Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez remains to be seen.

Szoboszlai could drop back into one of the two deeper midfield positions, competing with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones.


Pakistan beat France 3-2 in penalty shootouts to reach FIH Hockey Nations Cup final

Updated 20 June 2025
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Pakistan beat France 3-2 in penalty shootouts to reach FIH Hockey Nations Cup final

  • PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulates team on their win, paying tribute to players and the management
  • Pakistan boasts proud hockey legacy by winning three Olympic gold medals and four World Cup titles

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national hockey team advanced to the FIH Men’s Nations Cup final in Malaysia after defeating France 3-2 in penalty shootouts, the International Hockey Federation said on Friday.

The FIH Men’s Nations Cup is being played in Kuala Lumpur from June 15 to 21 at the National Hockey Stadium that brought together eight top-ranked teams competing with each other.

“Pakistan edge France to make it to their first FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup final,” International Hockey Federation said in a post on X.

“Excellent goals in the second half followed by amazing goalkeeping in the shootout,” it continued, “This is Pakistan’s first FIH final in more than a decade.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised and congratulated the Pakistan hockey team on their victory, paying tribute to the players and team management.

“The national hockey team delivered an outstanding performance throughout the tournament,” he added. “The team has made the nation proud and won our hearts.”

Sharif said he would also pray for Pakistan’s victory in the final scheduled for June 21, expressing hope that the country will soon regain its lost glory in the field of hockey.

Pakistan will play the winner of the second semifinal between New Zealand and South Korea.

Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport.

The national team boasts a proud legacy with three Olympic gold medals in 1960, 1968 and 1984 along with four World Cup titles in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994.

Hockey in Pakistan has faced a sharp decline in recent decades due to administrative challenges, underinvestment and inadequate infrastructure.

Renewed efforts are underway to revive the game with increased government support, youth development initiatives and greater international engagement aimed at restoring Pakistan’s former glory in the sport.


Acclaim for Bounou, Al-Dawsari as world reacts to Al-Hilal’s performance against Real Madrid

Updated 20 June 2025
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Acclaim for Bounou, Al-Dawsari as world reacts to Al-Hilal’s performance against Real Madrid

  • New coach Simone Inzaghi’s tactics praised after Saudi club’s impressive 1-1 draw in FIFA Club World Cup
  • It was on social media, however, that the impact of Al-Hilal’s performance reverberated most

DUBAI: An impressive 1-1 draw by Al-Hilal against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the FIFA World Club Cup has drawn praise from football fans and media alike, with goalkeeper Yassine “Bono” Bounou and captain Salem Al-Dawsari receiving particular attention.

Al-Dawsari caused a stir among the media, who recalled his heroics in scoring Saudi Arabia’s winner against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, while Bounou was a key player for Morocco who reached the semifinals in the same tournament.

There was also recognition of the role played by Simone Inzaghi, the new Al-Hilal coach, who took over the reins following his departure from UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan.

“For Al-Hilal, many foreign players who now play for the club have experience at top teams and stages of tournaments, like Manchester City and World Cup semifinals,” wrote the Washington Post after the encounter at Hard Rock Stadium in Washington.

“Inzaghi has made a big step after guiding Inter Milan to two Champions League finals, now stepping out of his comfort zone.”

Al Jazeera said Real Madrid had labored to the 1-1 result draw against a spirited Al-Hilal and that “Simone Inzaghi’s men showed defensive grit and enough attacking intent to rattle their illustrious opponents.”

The BBC compared the Al-Hilal coach’s debut to that of opposite number Xabi Alonso, saying: “Inzaghi will likely be the more satisfied, with his unfancied Al-Hilal side impressing and threatening to deliver a remarkable result even without a prolific marksman of their own, given Aleksandar Mitrovic was ruled out through injury.”

It was on social media, however, that the impact of Al-Hilal’s performance reverberated most.

Many commenters highlighted the challenges posed by 33-year-old Al-Dawsari to Real Madrid debutant Trent Alexander Arnold, who was involved in one of the most high-profile transfers of the summer when he joined the Saudi club from Liverpool just weeks ago.

“I was raving about Salem Al-Dawsari during the Arabian Gulf Cup as one of the best players I have ever seen. An unbelievable talent and Real Madrid found that out for themselves,” journalist David Rhys Williams wrote on X.

Seb Stafford-Bloor of The Athletic echoed the sentiments in his own tweet: “Salem Al-Dawsari is a super player — and he’s had an excellent half. Causing all kinds of problems down Real’s right.”

One user said: “Trent getting dunked on by Salem Al-Dawsari,” while another commented: “Trent getting cooked by Al-Dawsari.” Others posted memes of the Al-Hilal player’s success in the head-to-head battle.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois praised Bounou after a stoppage-time penalty save against Frederico Valverde secured a precious point for Al-Hilal.

“Fede has a very strong shot but he does not look at the keeper. Bounou moved early and could reach it. Bounou is good at penalties,” said Courtois.


On X, @Medias24, with over 180,000 followers, said: “A world-renowned drill specialist, Yassine Bounou, once again demonstrated his instincts against Real Madrid. Marca praises him, FIFA celebrates him, and the numbers confirm: the Moroccan goalkeeper has become a global icon.”

Meanwhile Moroccan football account @MoroccanGrinta proudly tweeted: “Penalty in the 90th minute against Real Madrid? Not a problem when you have Yassine Bounou. The Atlas Lion delivers a masterclass and secures a crucial point for Al-Hilal.”

Sports News Africa posted a video of Bounou’s save and said: “We’ll let you watch yet another save from the best African goalkeeper in history against the GREAT Real Madrid. Yassine Bounou…”


Olympic leader Bach got 10 percent raise in 2024 payment that trails far behind soccer’s elected leaders

Updated 20 June 2025
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Olympic leader Bach got 10 percent raise in 2024 payment that trails far behind soccer’s elected leaders

  • Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry
  • The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission

GENEVA: The International Olympic Committee paid its president Thomas Bach $350,000 in 2024, the Olympic body said Friday — a 10 percent raise for his final full year in office after a two-year freeze.

The payment, or “indemnity” in Olympic language, revealed in its annual report is small compared to soccer bodies that, like the IOC, are based in Switzerland and count annual revenue in billions.

Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry, who will start an eight-year initial term as the Olympic body’s first female leader and first from Africa.

The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission who “should not have to finance activities related to his function from his personal savings.”

Bach, who also gets living allowances, was paid from 12 percent to 15 percent what soccer gives its top elected officials.

FIFA paid its president Gianni Infantino $5.2 million in taxable salary and bonus last year, plus other expenses. Infantino also is among the 109 IOC members and so can claim $7,000 each year for office costs and $450 daily allowance when on Olympic business.

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin got almost $4.3 million in taxable income last year, including $300,000 from FIFA as one of its vice presidents.

It is unclear if the 41-year-old Coventry will be a salaried president of the IOC instead of officially a volunteer. The IOC was asked for comment.

The two-time Olympic champion in swimming left her job as sports minister of Zimbabwe after winning the seven-candidate IOC election in March.

Bach’s annual payment has been decided by the IOC’s ethics commission on the stated principle “the president should not financially benefit from his position.”

The German lawyer held a series of business consultancies and board of director seats before being elected in 2013 to lead the IOC.

The IOC paid Bach 225,000 euros ($259,000) in 2020. It rose to 275,000 euros ($317,000) in the year of his re-election, 2021, then was frozen for each of the next two years.

International sports bodies have typically published details of leadership pay as part of governance reforms, particularly after corruption scandals in soccer.