Written by Jean-Martial Jonquard
He is one of the most endearing athletes Limousin has known. However, Mustapha El Ahamadi, born in Morocco, arrived there illegally in the early 1990s. But his talent, on the long and middle distance, and his kindness, helped him find his place there. Thirty years later, he is still there… And if his career is over, the fox of Saint-Junien is still running.
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The stride is a little slower, but it is still just as beautiful. Specialists recognize it at first glance. For others, it’s more the smile that lights up the face, or the kindness that emanates from the voice. And then everyone exclaimed: but it’s “Soft”!
Mous, or rather, Mustapha El Ahamadi. Well no. Mustapha El Ahamadi, or rather Mous, since everyone calls him that. “Even I’m not sure I’ll turn around if someone calls me Mustapha. Mous, it’s been so long…”
Mous was born in Morocco, 56 years ago, in Berkane, in the far northeast of the country. Although his father is a farmer, he, for as long as he can remember, has always wanted to play sports. “I wanted to study, to be a teacher, or to be in the industry. At the beginning, I played football and handball. And then in the evening, I would go running.” But be careful, it wasn’t running for the sake of running, or running to go fast. Mous then has an idol, the legendary Said Aouita, the Moroccan who reigned between 800 and 5,000 meters, between the Los Angeles Olympics and those of Seoul. “What I liked straight away was the 1,500m, like Aouita.”
Well right away, not quite. It was almost a humiliation that pushed him towards his destiny! “One day, there was a road race organized at my home in Berkane, and I won it. And my handball coach said to me: Mous, I prefer that you go running. At the time, I took it badly. But afterwards… If I saw him again, I would thank him.” [Rires]
duration of video: 00h02mn51s
He is one of the most endearing athletes Limousin has known. However, Mustapha El Ahamadi, born in Morocco, arrived there illegally in the early 1990s. But his talent, on the long and middle distance, and his kindness, helped him find his place there. And thirty years later, he is still there. His career over, his passion for racing still present. Team: JM Jonquard, N Chigot, P Ruisseaux
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©France Télévisions
To live his passion, Mous decides to leave Morocco and come to France. He first took part in a few races in the south, before, by chance, going back to Limousin. “It was during the first Gulf War. I had a friend who lived in Limoges, he was going to pharmacy school, so I joined him. I arrived like that, by chance. Here I started shopping. I won a few, and that’s how my career started.”
The only problem is that Mous is undocumented, landed illegally, and during these trips, he does everything to avoid the police. But full of talent, he quickly gets noticed. By Alain Lebègue, from AS Saint-Junien, by Bernard Faure, by Jean-Luc Monge, who will soon organize the Race of Gendarmes and Thieves of Time. “There, it’s okay, when I participated, I was no longer illegal. But I never knew if the police knew about my past. I didn’t ask them either.”
Under the guidance of his mentors, Mous sees his career explode and his situation improve. His naturalization in 1998 gives him wings, and he joins the French team.
In cross country or on the track, at the turn of the 2000s, Mous will know everything. He made the France, the Europe, the World, with a few titles and very good places.
Thus, individually, it ranks 4th, 5th and 8th in the European cross championships in 1999, 2000 and 2002, 11th in the world cross championships in 2001. He was French champion in the 10,000 m in 2000, and 2nd and 3rd in the French cross championships. in 2000 and 2002.
And what can we say about his team record: European cross-country champion in 2000 and 2002, European cross-country vice-champion in 2001, third in the European championships in 1999, world vice-champion in 2001!
A career where, while continuing to race in Limousin, he will rub shoulders with the greatest internationally, including the king of kings, Hicham El Guerrouj, like him from Berkane. “I really liked Hicham, because he was from Berkane, and because I saw him arrive and grow. Afterwards, I mostly saw him from behind!” [Rires]
The only regret, still present: not having made the Games, missed in Sydney in 2000, by just ten seconds above the minimum…”The Games are always a regret. It’s something… You have the feeling of not having accomplished your career. The Worlds, the Europes, I did them, but the Olympic Games…”
After twenty years at a high level, Mous ended his career, ending as a senior. Faithful to Limousin, which welcomed him and, he says, made him become a man, he remained in Saint-Junien, where he now works in the town’s sports facilities.
But the passion and the need were too strong, and he resumed, unable to live without, training. “I need this. Even though I don’t run fast anymore, it reminds me of my youth.”
His daughter and his son do not follow in his footsteps, finding the race too hard. Other sports attract him, like cycling or swimming, but he considers himself incapable of it. It’s too hard, I don’t like it in the end!” No matter, he will run as long as he can. With the same desire, the same smile, the same righteousness and the same kindness.
Mous, the fox of Saint-Junien.
Mustapha El Ahmadi, a real good guy.
