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News19 Mar 2001


Hicham El Guerrouj organises the 1st International road race in Berkane

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Hicham El Guerrouj organises the 1st International road race in Berkane
Mohammed Benchrif

19 March 2001 – The Beni Snassen charity, presided by 1500m World Champion Hicham El Guerrouj, is organising the first ever international road race in Berkane (540 km north west of Rabat), christened "Les foulées internationales de la ville de Berkane" – The international races of Berkane - Four races are to be held over 10km, 5km, the Mile and a race for children

According to Hicham El Guerrouj and his manager, Frenchman Laurent Boquillet, this sporting event, a first for Morocco, is assured of the participation of some of the world’s best athletes, specialists in cross country and road racing, who will be cheered on by many famous personalities from the fields of sport, art and politics.

Those lining up for the 10km race include several Kenyans, notably David Chelule, fifth place finisher in the 5000m in Sydney, Paul Kosgei, bronze medallist at the 2000 World Cross Country Championships in Vilamoura, and Charles Kamathi, the current cross country world leader.

Ethiopia will be represented by Seville World Championship 10,000m 5th place finisher, Jifar Habte, Alemu Dagne, who came sixth in the Sydney 5000m and Hailu Mekkonen, the two mile world indoor record holder.

Several Moroccan born French citizens will also be taking part: the French and Military Cross Country Champion Driss El Himer, Abdellah Bahar and Ismail Sghir, France’s 5000m champion.

The recently crowned World Indoor silver medallist at 3000m and reigning Cross Country Champion, Mohammed Mourhit (BEL) has confirmed his participation, as has Kamal Kouhail, and several athletes from Spain and Portugal.

The organisers are also counting on the arrival of the ten best finishers from the World Cross Country Championship, which take place in Ostend, Belgium on 24-25 March, in addition to several other Moroccan athletes, namely 5000m Olympic bronze medallist Brahim Lahlafi, Ali Ezzine and Brahim Boulami, respectively the Sydney 2000 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist and 7th place finisher.

Featuring in the special Mile road race are Adil El Kaouch, 5th at the recent World Indoors in Lisbon, Youssef Baba, 1500m African Champion, Fethi El Guerrouj, Hicham’s younger brother and rising star Abdelkader Hachlaf.

The two remaining competitions are a race for children and a 5km race open to licensed and non-licensed athletes. The winners of all the races will be richly rewarded for their efforts.

Hicham El Guerrouj confirmed that the aim in organising this sporting event in his home town is to promote tourism and the economic strengths of the region, and to make sport, particularly athletics, more accessible and popular, especially for youngsters.

The Beni Snassen Association has already started planning for it’s next event, the first ever Berkane Half-Marathon in August, which will be run between the towns of Berkane and Essaidia.

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