The 2008 Dubai Marathon, held on January 18, was a game-changer for the event, the city and and international athletics. This was primarily driven by the participation of Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebrselassie. His appearance, following his world record-breaking performance in Berlin just months prior, elevated the profile of the Dubai race from an emerging regional event to a premier global marathon. Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) won the men’s race in 2:04:53, just 27 seconds off his own world record! Birhane Adere (Ethiopia) took the women’s race with a time of 2:22:42
