Riyadh Marathon Kicks off with Wide Local, International Participation

Representation photo: The Saudi government aims for Riyadh to be among the top 10 largest city economies in the world. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Representation photo: The Saudi government aims for Riyadh to be among the top 10 largest city economies in the world. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Riyadh Marathon Kicks off with Wide Local, International Participation

Representation photo: The Saudi government aims for Riyadh to be among the top 10 largest city economies in the world. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Representation photo: The Saudi government aims for Riyadh to be among the top 10 largest city economies in the world. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The third annual Riyadh Marathon begins Saturday, organized by the Saudi Sports for All Federation and under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Sport, SPA said.
Registration for the marathon was opened during the recent period through the Riyadh Marathon website and the Sports for All application.
Running enthusiasts from all over the Kingdom and the world can register for these races, which are designed to suit all members of society with different abilities and fitness levels of both genders.
The organization of this global event comes in an effort by the Saudi Sports for All Federation to encourage all members of society to practice physical activity and participate in sporting events.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.