5km ‘Kick Off’ Run Returns For 2026 Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final Week

September 30, 2026

Doha, Qatar (September 30, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) and Visit Qatar have confirmed the return of its 5km and 1km ‘Kick Off’ mass participation runs for 2026, which goes on general sale today at https://t100triathlon.com/qatar/participate/kick-off-run/

Offering both 5km and 1km options to encourage participants of all levels and ages, including families and children, the Qatar T100 Kick Off Run will take place on Thursday 10 December, with the 1km at 1745 and the 5km at 1830. It is designed to get everyone moving at the start of the second Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final week.

All entrants will receive a race t-shirt and a finisher medal and it follows the success of last year’s inaugural Kick Off Run which gave more than 3,000 participants the chance to run around Lusail Boulevard.

Visit Qatar ambassador and 4-time Olympic Champion Mo Farah from Great Britain was the official starter of last year’s edition. As well as taking part himself, Farah also handed out finisher medals to the triathletes across the weekend.

PTO CEO Sam Renouf said: “The aim of our T100 events is to grow the sport by encouraging athletes of all levels to get involved in swim, bike or run and become more active. The Qatar T100 Kick Off Run is untimed, easy to enter and welcomes participants of all abilities to be part of another exciting week for the sport in Qatar.”

The Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final is the climax of the season-long T100 Race To Qatar which has seen professional male and female athletes race in iconic locations, including the Gold Coast in Australia, Singapore, San Francisco and London. The men’s rankings are led by 2025 T100 World Champion Hayden Wilde from New Zealand, whilst the women’s rankings are led by Swiss Olympic ace Julie Derron.

The Qatar T100 Kick Off Run will be followed by the professional men’s and women’s Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final races on Friday 11 December and then the second T100 Age-Group World Championships on Saturday 12 December, which last year saw 250 qualified athletes from 45 different countries compete across thirteen different age group categories. There will also be open 100km and Sprint distance triathlon for amateurs, as well as relay options in both for the first time. For details on the courses that will showcase Lusail’s beautiful waterfront setting, visit https://t100triathlon.com/qatar/participate/event-info/#courses-and-location-maps

For further information:

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Its T100 Triathlon World Tour was introduced in January 2024 and is designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. This is part of a 12-year strategic partnership with the sport’s international governing body to develop the sport and it will grow further in 2027 with the launch of the new Triathlon World Tour. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world’s best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations. In 2026, the T100 Tour will deliver its 9-stop T100 Race To Qatar to: the Gold Coast (21-22 March), Singapore (25-26 April), Spain (23-24 May), San Francisco (6-7 June), Vancouver (15-16 August), French Riviera (19-20 September), Dubai (12-15 November), Saudi Arabia (November) & Qatar (11-12 December). T100 weekends are ‘festivals of multisport’ and feature a range of opportunities for amateur athletes of all levels to get involved. From experienced amateurs tackling the 100km distance to first-time swim, bike and run participants taking on single discipline, untimed events. For more information visit www.t100triathlon.com

World Triathlon

World Triathlon is the international governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the programme at Tokyo 2020, while para triathlon was first added to the Paralympic programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the sport to be extraordinary.

About Visit Qatar

Visit Qatar is the main arm of Qatar Tourism. Visit Qatar’s mission is to promote and expand tourism in Qatar by cultivating its rich culture, developing thrilling attractions, enhancing Qatar’s calendar, becoming the leading MICE destination in the region, diversifying events and luxury experiences. Visit Qatar is rooted in Service Excellence, boosting the entire tourism value chain, and increasing local and international visitor demand in Qatar. Through Visit Qatar’s network of international offices in priority markets, cutting-edge digital platforms, and marketing campaigns, Visit Qatar is expanding Qatar’s presence globally and enhancing the tourism sector. For more information visit www.visitqatar.com

About Qatar Triathlon Federation

Qatar Triathlon Federation (QTF) is the national governing body for triathlon in Qatar. Since its inception, QTF has been dedicated to promoting the sport, fostering a vibrant community of athletes, and organizing events for amateurs and professionals alike. Along with the Qatar Triathlon Series, QTF hosts many annual triathlon events held to the highest standards, attracting local and international participants. Aligned with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, QTF is committed to nurturing local talent, developing the national team for regional and global competitions, and inspiring athletes of all ages to adopt active and healthy lifestyles.