It’s a sports for all, says champion

An amputee who took part in the event talks with world champion and ‘Staircase Run’ winner Thomas Dold.By Joey Aguilar /Staff ReporterStaircase running is different from the usual marathon. But if you give it a try, it’s a good sports and exercise for everyone.This was the message of Thomas Dold, world champion and professional tower runner, during an interview with Gulf Times at the Torch-Doha hotel yesterday.Dold, who has been competing in different countries, says staircase running is “definitely the opposite” of marathon.“I would say it’s not comparable because last year, I joined a big marathon with my teammates, like in Berlin for example, there you have to run for hours, and here, you just have to run for a few minutes,” says Dold, who won the “Torch-Doha Hotel Staircase Run” finishing with a time of 6 minutes and 32 seconds. However, the world champion noted that staircase running is a sports activity for all. One good example, he said, is Minister of Justice HE Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanem who joined and finished the race.“We have seen the minister of justice here, that’s really wonderful that he has done that because he is really a big testimonial to all the people who are working,” says Dold, who praised al-Ghanem for being a role model and showing the people that anybody can do it. “You don’t have to be a professional or world class to do it,” the minister said.Citing its advantages compared to marathon, Dold noted that staircase running can be done even during summer when it is too hot in Doha. Inside the air-conditioned building, runners are free either to walk or run. Dold also gave tips to newcomers saying that they should train more and practice proper breathing while going up the stairs. For those who like to compete and want to be fit for competitions, Dold advised them to do regular running, monitoring their speed and beating their own record.Like any other beginners, he recounted his first staircase run was “really exhausting”.“When you see me in the finish, I was really very tired. I lied down and took a couple of minutes to rest because I was really very tried,” he said.Dold lauded Torch-Doha tower officials and the Aspire logistics for a well-organised sports event. It is a good building for staircase runners, he said.