Ultimate test of strength
Manama : Bahrain and Sakhir was absolutely brimming with action yesterday, with Vettel and Ferrari leading the show, on the track, in Sakhir, as thousands unleashed their inner warrior, off the track, to tackle the XDubai Spartan Race.
The race, one of the most challenging obstacle races to be hosted in the Middle East, witnessed the participation of citizens, expatriates as well as visitors from outside Bahrain.
This year’s event was also bigger than its previous edition, with over 7000 participants and a larger venue- the whole of Bahrain International Endurance Village. The event debuted in the Kingdom last year.
The event involved three categories: The Spartan Super, which is a 13+ km race with over 25 obstacles; The ‘Spartan Sprint’ which is a 5+ km race with 20 obstacles and The ‘Spartan Kids’ for children. Amateurs as well as professionals participated in the race and competed against each other.
The obstacles themselves also vary from race to race with mud, walls, and water being some of the frequently presented obstacles.
“I hope to see more events like this in Bahrain in the future,” said Hamad Mattar, a participant and an MMA fighter, who is part of the KHK MMA team.
When asked about his preparations for the race, Mattar, told DT News that his experience as an MMA fighter helped him greatly.
“I am always involved in fitness and self improvement. I train throughout the year, so I have already built up endurance.
“So I might have had an easier experience in the race when compared to someone who did not have the time to train as much,” he stressed.
Mattar, however, admitted that the race was still challenging, with some of the obstacles turning out to be really difficult.”
“But the important thing is that I crossed the finish line,” he told DT News.
Another contestant, Jithin Kumar told us that he trained for about two months for the race.
“I went to the gym throughout the year, besides taking some extra training in the past two months.”
Kumar took part in the Spartan Super, which is the longest of the three categories.
“Last year, I ran the shorter race. So, I decided to try the longer one this time.
“It was not easy by any means, but my training paid off. Finishing the race was a great moment in itself and it comes with bragging rights,” he said.
Mohammed Siddiq came to the race to cheer his friends, but that changed soon. He now wants to participate in the
upcoming event.
“I am going to prepare myself to participate in a future event. Watching people work hard and enjoying at the same time inspired me a lot.”
“I want to be part of this next time,” he added.
Professional athlete Miguel Labranche, also known as Spartan Nomad from France, is, however, on a different mission.
He, with his group, is on a world tour to participate in similar races.
He has already participated in races in France, Abu Dhabi, Malaysia and Munich before coming to Bahrain. Labranche plans to visit 2 to 4 countries each month.
Speaking about the Bahrain race, he said, “It was a very difficult race. One of the most difficult we participated in because of the heat.”
“It was very hard to race under this weather!
“The obstacles were also well thought out and very challenging. But enjoyed out time here. We liked the ambience of the event, it was well organised,” he said
Team Spark sponsored by Haurn International participated in the Spartan Race yesterday. In picture, team members at the finish line.
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