Don’t know if you’ve heard about Spartan Races, but they are basically a strenuous test to the contestants’ physical endurance and strength. This past 20th of February, the first Spartan Race in Dubai took place at the Jebel Ali Race Course – and if the 5km sprint race with obstacles wasn’t enough challenge already, a sandstorm moved in to further test the contestants… and pretty much everyone around.

As part of the Media coverage team, my fellow EPyC photographers and I got to shoot the athletes at their best. This personal photo essay shows some highlights of the race, including an appearance by the Crown Prince of Dubai, HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.