Euca Bolingot, third from left, leads the Filipino Runners UAE during a recent training session.
Euca Bolingot, third from left, leads the Filipino Runners UAE during a recent training session.

Filipino is running the Dubai Marathon for others



DUBAI // Euca Bolingot ran last year's Dubai Marathon to fulfill a personal goal, but today he and 38 other Filipinos will be hitting the streets for their countrymen.

"This is a special marathon, since I'm not doing it for myself," said the 28-year-old IT professional, who formed Filipino Runners UAE in Dubai last year. "I've never fel this kind of pressure before."

The 39 runners will cover a cumulative distance of approximately 800km, and have so far collected pledges for Dh20,000 - half of the Dh40,000 they hope to raise.

The beneficiaries are 22 Filipino patients undergoing treatment at Rashid Hospital in Dubai, the majority of whom do not have health insurance. Money will also go towards supporting the livelihood, training and repatriation of Filipinos residing the UAE.

Initially, 34 Filipino runners were planning to participate in the full 43km event, as well as a 10km road race and 3km fun run. Earlier this month, five more decided to run in the event, dubbed Takbo para kay Kabayan, or Run for my Countrymen.

"I monitored the progress of the runners and made sure they would not exhaust themselves a few days before the run," said Mr Bolingot, who also serves as the team captain. "And I also had to work on the charity aspect of the run."

One of the team members, Gary Elizaga, a 30-year-old accountant living in Dubai, said Mr Bolingot helped him develop physically, mentally and emotionally as an endurance runner.

"I'm prepared for the run," he said.

Mr Bolingot said that Dubai Roadrunners, Dubai Creek Striders and ABRas AC, a Dubai-based athletics club that focuses on endurance running, are supporting Filipino Runners UAE and Migrante UAE, a migrant-rights group that helped create the charity run and select the beneficiaries.

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Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
 
  • Grade 9 = above an A*
  • Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
  • Grade 7 = grade A
  • Grade 6 = just above a grade B
  • Grade 5 = between grades B and C
  • Grade 4 = grade C
  • Grade 3 = between grades D and E
  • Grade 2 = between grades E and F
  • Grade 1 = between grades F and G
if you go

The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.

The trip 

Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

RESULTS

2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: AF Senad, Nathan Crosse (jockey), Kareem Ramadan (trainer)

2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Ashjaan, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.

3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Amirah, Conner Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yaasoob, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.

4pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jawaal, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri.

4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Manhunter, Ryan Curatolo, Mujeeb Rahman.


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