Saudi Arabia launches first World Athletics-sanctioned Grand Prix in Riyadh

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia staged its first internationally sanctioned athletics competition this weekend with the conclusion of the inaugural Saudi Grand Athletics Prix 2026 in Riyadh, marking a significant step in the Kingdom’s push to become a global sports destination.

The two-day event, held at the track of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, was organized by the Saudi Athletics Federation under the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze category.

A total of 210 male and female athletes from 40 countries took part, including Olympic and world-level competitors appearing in Saudi Arabia for the first time.

The closing day was attended by Saudi Athletics Federation Vice President Badr Al-Youbi, federation CEO Majed Basunbul, and Fatimah Al-Moayyed.

Basunbul described the competition as a milestone in the federation’s long-term strategy to expand the Kingdom’s role in international athletics.

“This is the first event of its kind in Saudi Arabia under the Saudi Athletics Federation, and it represents an important step in our long-term strategy,” Basunbul told Arab News.

He said the federation had spent the past two years building toward hosting larger international competitions, beginning with the Arab Championship and the Asian U18 Championship before launching its first senior-level Grand Prix event.

Basunbul said the federation’s strategy focused on increasing athletics participation in Saudi Arabia, maximizing the use of sports infrastructure and giving Saudi athletes the opportunity to compete against elite international rivals on home soil.

“Our strategic vision is to host more international athletics events and eventually establish Saudi Arabia as a global destination for athletics,” he said.

“This