On Wednesday, the Burj Khalifa hosted the Tower Challenge as part of the 7th Dubai Games, one of the most demanding endurance tests in competitive sports, pushing athletes to their physical and mental limits to climb the world's tallest building, which stands at 160 floors. The Tower Challenge saw a record number of participants, with 336 athletes in 56 teams challenging gravity in a unique vertical race, climbing 160 floors, a total of 2,909 steps, and 828 meters. The challenge was designed as a special event to award 16 additional points in the City Challenge within the Dubai Games, rewarding teams that completed it with bonus points for speed, allowing them to enter the main competitions with a higher score. Team Kazan from Russia took first place, reaching the end of the challenge in a record time of 26 minutes and 24 seconds. Team Oviedo from Spain came in second with a time of 26 minutes and 53 seconds. Team Kutná Hora from the Czech Republic secured third place with a time of 27 minutes and 49 seconds. Team Aarhus from Denmark finished fourth in 28 minutes and 54 seconds. Dubai's team reached the summit in 29 minutes and 13 seconds, while Team Lisbon from Portugal finished fifth in 29 minutes and 26 seconds. Team Montreal from Canada placed seventh with a time of 29 minutes and 36 seconds. Unlike traditional races, success in the Tower Challenge does not depend on an individual's speed, but on the team's ability to complete the challenge as a cohesive unit, sending a message that progress and success can only be achieved through the integration of efforts. The City Challenge, as part of the Dubai Games, brings together an elite group of city teams from around the world that are renewing their participation in the games, including: Colorado and Montreal from the USA and Canada (the cities that won first place in the 2025 championship), London from the UK, Moscow, Kazan, and St. Petersburg from Russia, Paris from France, Florence from Italy, Oviedo and Barcelona from Spain, Houston and St. Louis from the USA, Olm from Germany, Lucerne from Switzerland, Edinburgh from Scotland, Oslo from Norway, Danzig and Rybnik from Poland, Kutná Hora from the Czech Republic, Malmö from Sweden, Breda from the Netherlands, Tashkent from Uzbekistan, and Al-Rifa from Bahrain, in addition to Dubai, the host city of this world championship. This year, the competitions also welcome new cities for the first time, such as: Kenitra from Morocco, Buenos Aires from Argentina, Amsterdam, Stockholm, and Gothenburg from Sweden, Utah from the USA, Elblag and Katowice from Poland. The competitions also welcome the addition of the Ras Al Khaimah team this year. It is worth noting that the 7th Dubai Games, the most prominent team sporting event in the emirate of Dubai, are held under the slogan 'Together We Face the Challenge' from February 12-15, in official partnership with DP World, platinum partnership with DAMAC Properties and Bayut, golden partnership with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Unilever Middle East, and Issa Al Ghurair Group, and strategic partnership with Dubai Sports Council.
