Racing Humans Against Camels: A New Sport Hits Los Angeles

The challenge set by Al Haboob, the world’s first professional camel racing team, proved surprisingly daunting. Hajma established benchmark times for two distances, leaving the human competitors struggling to keep pace. Over a 900-foot sprint, only one runner managed to clock a faster time, while the 1.3-mile distance remained unconquered by any human participant. Paul Pogba, global ambassador for Al Haboob, noted that the event succeeded by translating an ancient Middle Eastern tradition into a universal language of stopwatches and starting lines.

Following the event's success, organizers are pivoting the project into a permanent fixture. Al Haboob plans to expand the challenge to additional international markets and launch the Outrun the Storm Run Club, aimed at building a community around training and future races. Beyond the track, attendees engaged with modern camel racing technology, including the robotic jockeys now standard in professional circuits, and viewed the team's Netflix series, Camel Quest. For co-founder Safwan Modir, the event served as a statement on the sport's evolution, proving that heritage can hold its own on a global, modern stage.