DRAMATIC VICTORIES ON ACTION-PACKED FINAL TWO DAYS OF SPARTAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN ABU DHABI

The 2023 Spartan World Championship, hosted by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in Al Wathba, near Al Wathba Resort and Spa, continued its thrilling narrative on the second and final days of the event with captivating performances in the Elite 21k and Open 10k races, along with the 3k Team Relay.  The championship spanned over the course of 3 days from 8-10 December, with thousands of competing athletes from more than 70 countries around the world.

Obstacle course racing veteran Ryan Atkins claimed the title of Spartan World Champion (men) after victoriously completing the 21k race in a lap time of 1:54:13 followed by Frenchman Gregory Basilico in second place and Dane Nicolaj Dam in third place. Slovakia's Eszther Hortobagyiova succeeded in claiming the women's title with a time of 2:22:41 hours, while the Canadian Lindsey Webster secured the second position. The third place went to Filipino Sandi Menchi.

In the team relay, the Czech team composed of Roman Tóta, Klara Lacojkova, and Pavel Herdina won the Spartan World Championship after completing the 3k race in a time of 19:51 minutes. The Slovak team, consisting of Eszther Hortobagyiova, Jan Vladar, and Peter Ceniga, secured the second position, while the Danish team, comprising Nicolaj Dam, Ida Mathilde Steensgaard, and Leon Kofoed, finished third.

The winners were crowned by HE Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Joe De Sena, Spartan Founder and CEO, and HE Suhail Abdulla Al Areefi, Executive Director of Events Sector, Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

HE Suhail Abdulla AlAreefi, Executive Director of Events Sector, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: "We are delighted with the outstanding success achieved by the third edition of the Spartan World Championship 2023, which held its events for the second consecutive year in the desert of Al Wathba," He added, "We thank everyone who contributed to the success of this global event, which attracted thousands of participants from around the world, in an atmosphere of challenge, excitement, and determination to overcome the obstacles and barriers set across the enchanting sand dunes. Abu Dhabi has once again proven its ability to organize major international sporting events according to the highest professional standards."

The Spartan World Championship 2023 has left an unforgettable memory in the hearts of participants, organizers, and the enthusiastic audience that followed through numerous diverse races, catering to various fitness levels.

The Canadian, who will be returning to action at the Tough Mudder Infinity event in AlUla early next year, said: “It was emotional because I was in second place and my closest challenger missed his spear, but fortunately I practice throwing mine regularly and I’ve become very consistent with it,”

Roman Tota, the leader of the Czech winning relay team, stated: “We had very strong and highly competitive opponents, so it was really challenging to get to the finish line, but we made it! This is our second time competing in the Spartan World Championship and we came fourth last year, so it definitely feels good to make it to first place this year.”

The event's final day schedule also included the, Open 10k Heat, as well as the kids races, bringing the curtain down on another hugely successful Abu Dhabi Spartan World Championship, which not only showcased exceptional athleticism, but also celebrated cultural elements with events such as the Sheikh Zayed Festival, where attendees enjoyed musical performances and giveaways.