Moroccans win both Marrakech Marathon titles and Hayat Benhima sets a course record

The 36th Marrakech International Marathon went to the home country on Sunday. Abdelhadi Labali won the men's race in 2:07:34, ahead of Ethiopia's Mekonen Hayimoro Yele in 2:08:19 and fellow Moroccan Youness Benar in 2:08:42. Daniel Kiprono Sang was fourth in 2:09:20 and El Mahjoub Dazza fifth in 2:09:39.

Hayat Benhima won the women's race in 2:24:48, which Marathons.com reported as a course record, eleven seconds inside Fatima-Ezzahra Gardadi's old mark of 2:24:59. Oumaima Saoud was second in 2:25:05 and Kaoutar Farkoussi third in 2:26:18, so the women's podium was entirely Moroccan.

The course was redrawn this year into a single loop with fewer turns, past the Koutoubia Mosque and along the old city walls, finishing on Avenue de la Menara. Conditions at the start were described as ideal, and the organisers, Association Le Grand Atlas, reported no disruptions. Marathons.com put the field at more than 16,000 runners across the marathon, half marathon and 5 km; Hespress noted the organisers had advertised over 9,000 entrants. The half marathon was close at the front, Hicham Ouladha winning in 1:02:00 with two men a second behind.

Morocco has produced marathoners for decades, and most of them have had to leave to be noticed. A home double in Marrakech, with a course record, is the kind of day that keeps the next ones at home a little longer.

Sources: Marathons.com; Hespress.