Nearly 800 runners, 40 nationalities and one shared goal: moving together. On September 25, Doha Festival City and the Qatar Sports for All Federation (QSFA) brought RunFest 2026 to life, transforming the indoor destination into a high-energy running arena.
Now among Qatar’s largest indoor running events, the festival welcomed runners aged four to 60, alongside around 2,000 spectators. With Qataris making up approximately a quarter of the participants, the event reflected the city’s diverse and growing running community.
Five races offered something for every age and ability, from the competitive 10km and 5km races to the 1km Fun Run, 1km Kids Run and 500m Mini Kids Run.
In the men’s 10km, Andrew Jones crossed the finish line first in 34:45, followed by Samuel Njagi at 36:54 and Suken Thapa at 37:57. In the women’s 10km, Soledad Dominguez claimed the top spot in 45:25, with Nuria Sainz finishing in 48:36 and Emelda Buo in 59:27.
Beyond the race results, RunFest was about making movement accessible and enjoyable for the whole community. Families, seasoned runners, beginners, children and participants with special needs all took part, reinforcing the event’s inclusive spirit.
The festival forms part of Doha Festival City’s wider commitment to health and wellbeing, supported by its partnership with QSFA. The collaboration has already fuelled initiatives such as the weekly Friday Community Run, which recorded more than 6,000 participations between May and August 2026.
With races, community activities and plenty of momentum, RunFest 2026 proved that getting active can be as much about connection as competition.
