Rédaction Africa Links 24 with ALM
Published on 2024-04-08 10:58:13
The Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation (FRMA) has recently organized a press conference to present the 7th edition of the Rabat International Marathon, scheduled for April 21, as well as the changes made.
During the press conference, the organizing committee stated that this international sports event has continued to make its mark among major international events over the years and has been awarded the “Star of Excellence” in the World Athletics rankings. This edition, held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, will feature changes in the starting points of the main race, the half marathon, and the 10 km race, as well as the finish lines, as announced by the organizing committee.
The technical director of the FRMA, Abdallah Boukraa, mentioned that this event has gained considerable reputation during the previous six editions and is now comparable to the biggest marathons in the world. Morocco will be well represented with the participation of Othmane El Goumri, holder of the national marathon record (2h 05m 12s), alongside Mohcine Outalha, Hamza Sahli, Yassine Al Alami, and Mustapha Houdadi, he noted.
He added that Zouhair Talbi, who won the Houston Marathon in January with a time of 2h 06m 39s, will be one of the main participants in this edition who could achieve a positive result. According to him, the Rabat International Marathon will be an important test for Moroccan runners, especially with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games just a few months away.
The general secretary of the FRMA, Mohamed Ghizlane, emphasized that the Rabat International Marathon highlights the reputation of the Kingdom and its capital, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. He mentioned that the federation has bet on the Rabat International Marathon since the first edition to become one of the most prestigious marathons in the world, a goal that has been achieved with a 23rd place in the World Athletics ranking of 140 classified marathons.
The Excellence Award received by the Rabat International Marathon has made it the only event in Africa to receive this honor, thanks to the quality of the organization meeting international standards and the participation of over 22,000 athletes, in addition to the performances and records achieved, he continued. The last edition of the Rabat International Marathon was won by Moroccan Yassine El Allami among men, and his compatriot Fatima-Zahra Kardadi among women.
Read the original article(French) on Aujourdhui.ma
