As for the half-marathon, the Moroccan athlete Aziz Aitourkia won first place by covering the distance of the event (21.975 km) in a time of 1h1mn35s, ahead of the Kenyan Langat Leonard Kipkoech (1h1mn38s) and his compatriot Mousaab Hadout (1h1mn39s).
Among the women, the title went to Bahraini Violah Jepchumba Kilonzoa, who recorded a time of 1h10m42s, ahead of the Moroccans Kawtar Kahhaz (1h11m31s) and Nazha Mchrouh (1h11m59s).
During the awards ceremony, held in the presence of the Secretary General of the Wilaya of the Marrakech-Safi region, several elected officials, as well as civil and military personalities, Alfonce Kigen Kibiwott and Beyenne Tifri Tsegaye expressed their joy at win this 35th edition.
They stressed that this victory is the result of intensive training, welcoming, at the same time, the excellent conditions put in place by the organizers to guarantee the success of this event.
For their part, Moroccan athletes Aziz Aitourkia, winner of the half-marathon, and Kawtar Kahhaz, who won second place among the ladies, affirmed that these performances were possible thanks to hard work, while recognizing the high level of participants.
Thus, they committed to redouble their efforts to achieve better results in future editions.
-In a statement to the press, the president of the Grand Atlas Association and director of the Marathon, Mohamed Knidri, noted that this edition was an exceptional success, both in terms of organization and the quality of the participants. In this regard, he expressed his thanks to the local authorities for the efforts made to guarantee the smooth running of the event.
Mr. Knidri also praised the remarkable performances recorded during the various competitions.
Organized by the Grand Atlas Association (AGA), in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation, the Wilaya of the Marrakech-Safi region and the municipal council of Marrakech, this competition saw the participation of more than 15,000 athletes, including more than 110 elite runners, from the four corners of the world.
Since 2013, the Marathon has been ranked 11th in the world and in 2020 received the World Athletics label, making it eligible for the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
This edition was also marked by a race for the benefit of children, a 5 km “Welcome Race” open to all, organized on January 25, with the aim of familiarizing athletes with the climate and atmosphere of the city. of Marrakech and a “Day Without Cars” under the theme “Environment and Road Safety at the heart of priorities”.
