Dubai Mallathon Creates Guinness World Record With 40,000 Participants

Dubai doesn’t do things quietly, does it? The month-long Dubai Mallathon wrapped up on Sunday, and what a finale it was with breaking Guinness World Record. Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan, Dubai’s Crown Prince, the city managed to pull off one of its most ambitious community events yet. The concept was simple on paper: turn malls into fitness tracks. The result? More than 40,000 people joined in, and Dubai walked away with a Guinness World Record to prove it.

Dubai Mallathon Smashes Guinness World Records And Gets The City Moving

Under the patronage of Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Mallathon concludes, sets Guinness World Record for most runners in a mall run event during the closing event at Dubai Hills Mall, which saw 1,392 participants of various ages and nationalities take part in the race. pic.twitter.com/BDOW9GFeI5

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 1, 2025

Now here’s the headline figure: 1,392 runners turned up at Dubai Hills Mall for the closing run. That single gathering sealed the Guinness title for the largest mall run in the world. And honestly, it’s the most Dubai thing ever, where else would you see marathon bibs pinned on inside air-conditioned shopping centres?

Record-Breaking Crowd In The Malls

The recognition is a neat addition to Dubai’s long list of “biggest” and “first” titles. But truth be told, the real success was how normal people bought into it. Parents, kids, professionals, retirees, it was less about medals and more about movement. Dr Sultan Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, called it a reflection of the leadership’s push to make sport part of daily life. Fair point. When the outside temperature hits boiling, a mall track feels like the only logical option.

The final day wasn’t just symbolic either. A full 42-kilometre marathon played out on the indoor track, with Kenyan runner Victor Kiprono taking first place, Godfrey Segule in second, and Rio Watson, a runner from the People of Determination category, proudly finishing third. Their races gave the event proper sporting grit, not just a fun run vibe.

Millions of Steps, Countless Stories

Over 31 days, participants logged more than 120 million steps across malls like The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, and Dubai Festival City. That’s a figure you almost can’t picture. In practice, it meant people sneaking in a few laps before grabbing coffee or timing a quick jog before the cinema. Fitness didn’t feel like a chore, which is half the battle won.

Also, there was a women’s race hosted to mark the Emirati Women’s Day. That had its own energy, showing how the Mallathon made space for everyone. Government entities jumped in too, Dubai Police, RTA, Ambulance Services, you name it. It felt like the whole city had a stake in it.

Also Read: What Is Dubai Mallathon Launched By Sheikh Hamdan To Promote An Active Lifestyle?

More Than A Fitness Challenge

Khalfan Belhoul, Vice President of Dubai Sports Council, called it a milestone, and you’d struggle to argue. His comment about Sheikh Hamdan’s backing being vital rings true. Without that push from the top, it might have stayed a neat idea on paper.

But here’s the bigger picture: the Mallathon slots neatly into Dubai’s long-term playbooks, the Year of Community, the Social Agenda 33, the Quality of Life Strategy 2033. By using malls, Dubai turned something routine, shopping, coffee runs, and window browsing,  into a chance to move more. It was a reminder that sport doesn’t always need a stadium. Sometimes, a food court and a pair of trainers will do.

Cover Image Courtesy: Dubai Media Office/Website