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From: Reuters News Service
Man Outruns Horse in UAE Desert Race
Fri Feb 8,10:09 AM ET
By Issam Hamza
ABU DHABI (Reuters) - U.S. runner Tom Johnson battled heat, sand and stray camels to outrun an Arabian horse in a desert endurance race, finishing just 10 seconds ahead of the animal at the end of an 50-mile contest.
Johnson completed the race in the United Arab Emirates in five hours and 45 minutes Wednesday, taking advantage of the horse's need for a total of one hour's rest.
"It was a big challenge for me and I did it," Johnson, 42, told Reuters, trying to catch his breath after beating al-Buraq which was ridden by fellow American Jennifer Nice in the first race of its kind in the Middle East.
"In the last meters (yards) of the race, I looked behind to see the horse approaching so I increased my speed to the maximum and I won," Johnson said.
Al-Buraq is named after what Muslims believe was a winged horse that flew the Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Jerusalem.
Al-Buraq took two rest periods of 40 minutes and 20 minutes and was given water and food as required by endurance racing rules.
"I was totally surprised at Johnson's ability to run so fast and to remain strong," Nice said. "Next time I'll try to win."
She said 12-year-old al-Buraq was owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zaid, son of UAE President Sheikh Zaid bin Sultan al-Nahayan, who organized the event attended by 200 onlookers.
Johnson said he was bothered by the desert heat, sand and stray camels during the race, conducted at al-Wathba race track near the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.
"Yes, I expect a financial prize for winning this race from Sheikh Mansour, but I honestly do not know how much," he said.
He said he held a slow pace for the first 22 miles, then stepped up the speed and only broke into a sprint the last few yards.
From: Pamela Burton
February 7, 2002
Shareef Mohammed Abdullah Baja on Domino clinched the The President of the
UAE Cup Endurance Ride in a thrilling finish at the Al Wathba Endurance Village
here yesterday.
After a gruelling 160km, the 22-year-old Baja ensured the
nine-year-old Domino produced a winning run in the final three kilometres to pip
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum on Muta
Aaud.
Finishers:
1. Shareef Mohd. Abdulla Baja (Domino) 8hrs
24mins 57secs.
2. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (Muta Aaud)
8:25:15
3. Ahmed Mohd. Jasim Al Hammadi (Centre Czar) 8:34:26
4. Sheikh
Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (Salam) 8:41:20
5. Sultan bin Sulayem (Fierte
De Galonne) 8:49:10
6. Yvon Ollivier (Fire Light Armor) 8:50:50
7. Ahmed
Hassan Al Hammadi(Castlebar Talisman) 8:59:47
8. Abdulla Khamis Ali Saeed
(Shiranna Bokhara) 9:06:50
9. Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan
(Mountain Mustard) 9:16:02
10. Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya (Waltstroom Hamman)
9:21:50
11. Heather Bergantz-USA-(Crystals Charm) 10:02:24.
Go
Heather and Red!
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