The 35th edition of the Marrakech International Marathon brought together 15,000 runners on Sunday January 26. On the podium side, the Kenyan Alfonce Kigen Kibiwott won the flagship race of the men’s marathon in 2h08mn47s, followed by the Moroccans Soufiyan Bouqantar and Omar Ait Chitachen. Among the women, Ethiopian Beyenne Tifri Tsegaye took the lead with a time of 2h25m44s. In the half-marathon, the victories went to Moroccan Aziz Aitourkia (1h1mn35s) and Violah Jepchumba Kilonzoa from Bahrain (1h10m42s).
A flagship sporting event at the start of the year, the Marrakech International Marathon concluded on Sunday with a victory for Kenyan runner Alfonce Kibiwott Kigen. Taking advantage of the ideal weather conditions, the East African specialist took the reins of the race from the first 20 kilometers, despite competition from Moroccan athletes. Moreover, the race started at a high pace giving hope that the Marathon record of 2 h 6 min 32 s, held since 2020 by the Moroccan Hicham Laqouahi, would finally be beaten. However, as the kilometers progressed, the pace dropped. After 42 km of racing, Alfonce Kigen managed to cross the finish line with a time of 2 h 8 min 48 s, ahead of the Moroccans Soufiyane Bouquantar (2 h 9 min 13 s) and Omar Aït Chitachen (2 h 9 min 25 s). The Ethiopian Beyene Tirfi Tsegaye wins in the women’s category. At the level of the Women’s Marathon, the competition was also tough between the Ethiopian runners and their Moroccan counterparts. But it was ultimately the Ethiopian athlete Beyene Tirfi Tsegaye who crossed the finish line in the lead with a time of 2:25:44, followed by the Moroccan Oumaïma Saoud (2:29:51) and another Ethiopian, Bekele Abebech (2:30:39). In the men’s half-marathon event, victory went to Moroccan Aziz Aitourika with a time of 1 h 1 min 35 s, followed by Kenyan Langat Leonard Kipkoech (1 h 1 min 38 s) and Moussab Hadout (1 h 1 min 39 s). Among the women, the Bahraini athlete of Kenyan origin, Violah Jepchumba, took the first step of the podium thanks to a time of 1 h 10 min 42 s, followed by the Moroccans Kawiar Khahaaz (1 h 11 min 31 s) and Nezha Mchrouh (1 h 11 min 59 s).
The Ethiopian Beyenne Tifri Tsegaye won the women’s competition by covering the distance of the event (42.195 km) in a time of 2h25m44s, ahead of her compatriot Bekele Abebech Afework (2h30m39s) and Moroccan Oumaima Saoud (2h29m51s). Moroccan Aziz Aitourkia wins the 35th edition of the Marrakech Men’s International Half-Marathon Moroccan Aziz Aitourkia is the big winner of the men’s half-marathon. The athlete covered 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). Finally, Violah Jepchumba Kilonzoa took the lead in the women’s half-marathon. The Bahraini athlete achieved a time of 1h10m42s after covering the distance of the event (21.975 km), ahead of the Moroccans Kawtar Kahhaz (1h11m31s) and Nazha Mchrouh (1h11m59s).
