Abdelati Iguider of Morocco wins 1500m final (© Getty Images)
Rabat, MoroccoA young Moroccan team will for the third consecutive year participate in all six races at the IAAF World Cross Championships whose 33rd edition will be celebrated next weekend in St-Etienne/St-Galmier, France, 19/20 March.
Khalid El Amri is the main name of the men’s line-up having the experience of a sixth and tenth place respectively in the Short and Long races in the 2003 Championships in Lausanne. Joining him in the senior Long Race will be Brahim Beloua, the 2005 Morccan champion, Chatt Hicham, Mohamed Amyn, Abdelhadi Habassa and Ahmed Baday.
In the men’s Short Race the national line-up is composed of Aderrahim Goumri, Hicham Bilani, Adil El Kaouch, who was the best Moroccan last year when finishing tenth, Hamid Ezzine, the national champion for the short race, and a rising young talent Mohamed Moustaoui.
The junior men’s team is headed by the World Junior 1500m champion Abdelaati Iguider but the junior women’s team is without the star name of Siham Hilali, twelfth last time, who is out of action because of a broken right leg.
The senior women’s Short race team is led by Saida El Mehdi, Meryem Alaoui Selsouli, the World University champion, Malika Asahssah, Bouchra Chaabi and Soltana Ait Hammou. The only entrant in the women’s Long Race is Kenza Wahbi, who is a marathon specialist.
In the history of the World Cross Country Morocco has gained 29 medals (3 gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze).
Mohammed Benchrif for the IAAF
Moroccan team -
Junior Men: Abdelaati Iguider, Said El Medouly, A. Ghani Ait Bahmad, Faiçal Nejjari, Abderrahman Ennaji, Lahcen Bouhroud.
Men’s Short Race: Mohamed Moustaoui, Abderrahim Goumri, Hicham Bilani, Adil El Kaouch, Hamid Ezzine, Khalid El Amri.
Men’s Long Race: Hicham Chatt, Khalid El Amri, Brahim Beloua, Ahmed Baday, Mohamed Amyn, Abdelhadi Habassa.
Junior Women: Asmae Ghizlane, Ikram Zeglali, Halima Hachlaf, Aicha Bani, Malika Belfakir, Zineb Nadir.
Women’s Short Race: Meryem Alaoui Selsouli, Bouchra Chaabi, Saida El Mehdi, Malika Asahssah, Soltana Ait Hammou, Seloua Ouaziz.
Women’s Long Race: Kenza Wahib.
