Feature: First-ever marathon for overweight girls, a spark of hope for better future

Wearing training suits and running shoes, dozens of plus size girls excitedly waited for the whistle to launch Egypt's first ever marathon for overweight girls.

"This marathon is a message to the whole world that overweight girls can run just like other ones," Marwa al-Saeed, organizer of the marathon, told Xinhua as she encouraged the participants ahead of the marathon.

Early in the morning, the runners gathered at an upscale Nasser City district in Cairo and were all resilient to tell the watchers who gathered to see the marathon that their shape cannot prevent them from practicing sport.

"I want to break a barrier," Al-Saeed said, adding that "overweight girls are always shy to run or practice sports because of the society's criticism to their shape. Today we will tell the society that we are able to run regardless of our weight."

Nineteen-year-old Nora Ahmed said she did not think twice to join the marathon when she first read a post about it on a Facebook page for overweight girls.

The college student said she wanted to gain self-confidence through participating in this marathon which combines tens of plus size girls together.

"I was always worried about my shape to an extent that I preferred to stay home in order to avoid street comments about my weight," she said as she was warming up before the marathon started.

Nora has even urged her overweight friends to join the marathon and successfully managed to convinced one of them to participate.

"I can feel a change even before the marathon starts," she said cheerfully.

"I feel my weight and shape are not problems any more and cannot hinder me from practicing sports or anything I want," she added.

In Egypt, the most populous Arab country, overweight girls have less chances of marriage than other ones. They, sometimes, are mocked at for their shapes and bodies, which demoralizes them and lessens their opportunities to be an active and productive part of the society.

Al-Saeed, the organizer, said this marathon is first, but will not be the last as she plans to hold more marathons for plus size girls across the country to spread the idea that overweight girls are just like other ones; they can run, they can challenge the society and they can be successful in everything they do.

The 42-year-old al-Saeed has done more to change the society's stereotyped views that overweight girls are just not equal to other elements in the society.

A few months ago, she has held Miss Fat Beauty competition in Cairo where dozens of overweight beauties competed to win the title.

"It is time for overweight girls and ladies to stand together," she said proudly.

"We are millions in Egypt and we have to prove that our big size does not matter when it comes to achievements and success," al-Saeed told Xinhua.

Randa Mohammed, a 45-year-old housewife from Cairo, was so glad to hear about the marathon, but she was a bit worried that her conservative husband might oppose her participation. But the open-minded man did not think much to tell her that she can join it.

"My husband encouraged me and he even allowed his sister to come with me today," the mother of five children told Xinhua.

Randa said she gained much weight because of giving birth, adding that her age and home responsibilities don't help her to lose weight.

"I want to tell everyone that you can be overweight and healthy at the same time. That's my message today,"she said, flashing a humble smile. Endit