A new edition of the Marrakech International Marathon will be held on January 26 and will bring together more than 15,000 professional and amateur participants.
In less than a week, the palm trees and olive trees of the city of Marrakech will rise up to welcome, as they do every year, the participants in the Marrakech International Marathon and Half-Marathon, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.
No less than 15,000 athletes, including more than 110 elite runners, from the four corners of the world, are expected at this new edition scheduled for January 26.
True to its reputation, the MIM, which holds the African record for the event, will be enhanced this year by the participation of world-renowned elite runners, including the Kenyan Kitwara Sammy Irop with a time of 2:04:28, his compatriot Kilimo Rhonzas Lokitam (2:06:09) and the Moroccan Mohamed Reda El Aaraby (2:06:55), the organizers explained during a press briefing. held Thursday in Casablanca.
Among the ladies, the event will see the participation of the Ethiopian athlete Beyene Tirfi Tsegaye (2:19:41), her compatriot Bekele Abebech Afework (2:23:33), as well as the Moroccan Kaoutar Farkoussi (2:25). :35), Rkia El Moukim (2:26:51), Kaltoum Bouaasariya (2:27:22) and Hasna Zahi (2:28:23).
“This year, we expect exceptional performances and tough competition given that the 35th edition will qualify for the World Championship which will take place next September,” enthuse the organizers, noting that the ocher city offers a mild climate. in January and a course conducive to performance.
Furthermore, the latter set themselves the future objective of increasing the number of participants from 18,000 to 20,000, of democratizing access to sport and removing it from its elitism, of using and implementing information techniques and innovative communication, to make the route and the venue of the event in a clean state and to raise awareness about saving water and the challenges posed by drought.
Placed under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the MIM, organized by the Association Le Grand Atlas (AGA), in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, the Royal Moroccan Federation of athletics, the wilaya of the Marrakech-Safi region and the municipal council of Marrakech, has been ranked 11th in the world since 2013 and received the World Athletics label in 2020, making it qualifier for the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
The program for this edition also includes 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”.
Running the Marrakech Marathon is a great intrusion into one of the warmest cities in the Kingdom. The circuit, fast, rolling and conducive to performance, has been carefully designed.
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