Marrakech – Athletes from Morocco and around the world are training and preparing to gather on January 25 for the 36th edition of the Marrakech International Marathon and Half-Marathon.
As the ochre city draws the curtain on a historic sporting chapter – having finished up its run among the six host cities of AFCON 2025 – it now turns its focus to the next major test of endurance, welcoming more than 16,000 runners on its nearly four-decade-old course.
Mohamed Knidiri, president of the Grand Atlas Association organizing the event, announced during a Tuesday press conference that the marathon route has been redesigned to address difficulties encountered in previous editions.
The new course aims to be faster and more fluid while maintaining its scenic appeal through gardens, historic ramparts, and palm-lined avenues. The half-marathon route remains unchanged.
The event introduces a new 5-kilometer public race scheduled for January 24, open to participants of all ages and backgrounds. This initiative seeks to democratize running practice and create a festive atmosphere before the main competitions. Race starts are set for 8 a.m. for the marathon and 9:30 a.m. for the half-marathon.
In line with modern race technologies, organizers have introduced a digital electronic card system to manage the registration of more than 16,000 runners. This system will streamline participant management and prize distribution for all winners.
Elite athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia are expected to compete alongside Morocco’s top runners, including Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi, bronze medalist at the 2023 World Marathon Championships. Knidiri noted that the complete participant list will be revealed at a press conference on January 24.
Knidiri expressed hopes for new records to be broken in both men’s and women’s categories, building on the event’s continental heritage as Africa’s oldest marathon.
The Marrakech Marathon holds the African continental record of 2:06:32 and has obtained qualifying certification for World Championships and Olympic Games.
The previous edition saw Kenyan Alfonce Kigen Kibiwott claim victory, while Moroccan runners Soufiyan Bouqantar and Omar Ait Chitachen finished second and third, respectively.
The event receives support from the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation (FRMA), and local authorities, including Marrakech’s municipal and prefectural councils.
The race has served as a launching platform for prominent Moroccan athletes, including Abdelkader El Mouaziz, holder of the Marrakech Marathon record from 1999 to 2012 with a time of 2:08:15, double London Marathon winner, and 2000 New York Marathon champion.
Other notable alumni include Abderrahim Goumri, who achieved Morocco’s best time of 2:05:30 between 2002 and 2009, and Jaouad Gharib, double world champion with a time of 2:05:27 recorded in London in 2009.
The 36th edition builds on Morocco’s athletic momentum, reaffirming the marathon’s status as one of Africa’s premier international racing events.
