Winners in the children's category.
Doha: Doha Festival City, Qatar’s leading retail, leisure, and lifestyle destination, in collaboration with the Qatar Sports for All Federation (QSFA), operating under the umbrella of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, welcomed nearly 800 runners representing more than 40 nationalities to RunFest 2026 on Friday, September 25.
Participants from Qatar accounted for approximately 25 percent of the total roster, while the indoor running festival drew around 2,000 spectators and brought together runners aged four to 60, each setting out to reach a personal health goal.
Participants spanned five race categories; namely, a 10 km race, a 5 km race, a 1 km Fun Run, a 1 km Kids Run, and a 500-metre Mini Kids Run.
In the men’s 10km race, Andrew Jones took first place with a time of 34:45, followed by Samuel Njagi in second at 36:54 and Suken Thapa in third at 37:57. Meanwhile, the women’s 10km race saw Soledad Dominguez claim first place with a time of 45:25, followed by Nuria Sainz in second at 48:36 and Emelda Buo in third at 59:27.
RunFest 2026 was supported by a lineup of partners including Monoprix, Sports Corner, Shoebox, and Foot Locker. Their involvement helped enhance the overall participant experience, supporting the festival’s wider focus on movement, wellbeing, and community engagement while adding further energy and visibility across the different race categories and activities.
Commenting on the festival, Asset Management Director at Doha Festival City, Tugrul Comert, said, “Seeing this level of turnout for RunFest 2026 demonstrates the strong appetite within our community for experiences that support healthier, more active lifestyles.
In partnership with the Qatar Sports for All Federation, we are proud to create an inclusive platform that brings people together, encourages personal achievement, and makes wellbeing part of everyday community life.”
Highlighting the event’s strong turnout, Executive Director of the Qatar Sports for All Federation, Abdullah Al Dosari, said, “RunFest 2026 brought together children and young people, adults and seniors, families, beginners, experienced runners, and people with special needs, which confirms that sport is accessible to all and that community events can bring every member of the family together.
