RETIRED TEACHER TAKES ON THE SAHARA DESERT

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 (Bernama) -- A retired teacher will carry Malaysia's
challenge at the 24th Marathon Des Sables (Marathon of the Sands) in the Sahara
desert of southern Morocco next month.

Mohamed Adnan Osman, 66, has managed to receive sponsorship worth RM25,000
for the desert marathon dubbed the "Toughest Footrace on Earth."

He said participants to the championship which does not offer lucrative
prizes will have to spend about RM24,000 on fees and equipments.

"With the sponsorship in hand, I can now focus on my training," he said
after receiving the cheque from Sime Darby Foundation here Wednesday.

Adnan said he started preparation last year before his failed attempt to
cycle to the Beijing Olympics due to a visa problem in Vietnam.

"Giving the Marathon Des Sables a miss will be a waste as I had been making
preparation for three years.


"Failure to reach Beijing made me more determined to test how far my body
can persevere the desert conditions," said Adnan who is fondly called "Cikgu
Nan"

The annual marathon in the Sahara with temperatures reaching 48.8 degrees
Celsius (120F) had taken a toll on participants with one having died in 2007.

Some 800 participants worldwide have confirmed participation at the
seven-day championship from March 27-April 2.

Adnan will be only the third Malaysian to participate in the championship
after lawyer Ngae Koh Hieng and doctor Tan Tah Ming who completed the race in
2007.

The champion gets a t-shirt, participation certificate and a bag worth 5,000
Euro (RM23,100).

-- BERNAMA