Sports | Tuesday 8 November, 2016 3:51 pm |

The region’s largest celebration of fitness and healthy living, Sun & Sand Sports (SSS) Fitness Fest, welcomed over 12,000 people over two days as it returned for its second year, packed with a variety of exciting new features, famous faces and family fun.

Regardless of age, gender or fitness level, there was something for everyone, with fun challenges, exciting competitions, children’s sports, fitness celebrities, elite athletes and healthy cooking shows.

The event kicked-off with Dubai Women’s Run, the UAE’s largest sporting event, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee and operated by the UAE Athletics Federation. Thousands of women crossed the finish line in a celebration of female empowerment, health and fitness, and community spirit.

International sensation Joe Wicks took over the main stage to inspire fans with live talks, interactive cooking demonstrations and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions at the event’s brand new ‘Healthy Living Show’.

One of the highlights of the event was The World Strongman Champions League Finals, the biggest strongman league worldwide, which took place at SSS Fitness Fest for the first time. During the series-culminating event, the top 10 finalists fiercely battled it out for the title of the ‘Strongest Man in the World’ with activities such as a car pull, rock lift, cars deadlift and pole push.

The winner Dainis Zageris from Latvia said: “After the birth of my son, this is the best day of my LIFE.”

SSS Fitness Fest’s first Healthy Living Show was a one-stop shop for everything there is to know about healthy living, featured across four main sectors: Beauty and Anti-aging; Nutrition and Supplements; Health; and Organic and Natural Products. Throughout the two days, visitors enjoyed demonstrations in the healthy cooking theatre, putting their skills to the test in the healthy cooking challenge, exploring the shopping hall, and digesting helpful pointers from industry experts. 

Chris Fountain, Managing Director of Turret Media which organises the event, commented: “We are thrilled to have welcomed over 12,000 people to SSS Fitness Fest. With so many amazing events taking place, we have definitely achieved our objective to encourage the community to live a healthier and more active lifestyle, and we look forward to hosting even more people during next year’s event.”