Jennifer Simpson on her way to victory in Tangiers (© Local Organisers)
The fourth edition of the Moulay El-Hassan International Athletics Meeting, organised by double Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj under the patronage of HRH King Mohammed VI, was highlighted by 2 meeting records, respectively in the 200 metres and the Shot Put as well as the double sprint win of Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and the consecration of 1500m World champion Jennifer Simpson.
Simpson confirmed her supremacy at 1500m in front of an enthusiastic crowd on the brand new Tangiers track winning in 4:15.07 ahead of Ukrainian Anna Mishchenko, who had won last year’s edition (4:15.13), and France’s Morocco’s born Hind Chahid (4.15.55).
Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas, the 200m World champion back in 2001 who has taken part in no fewer than 7 editions of the IAAF World Championships and 4 Olympic Games, took convincing victories in both the 100 and 200m ahead of Mariya Ryemyen and Hrystyna Stuy both Ukrainians.
Two meeting records were broken in Tangiers: in the men’s Shot Put by Canada’s Dylan Armstrong and the men’s 200m by Jamaica’s Waugh Ainsley.
Armstrong best effort of 21.75 was an improvement of the previous record of 21.43 held since 2010 by former World champion Christian Cantwell who had to be content with finishing third (20.58) this time around. Portugal’s Marco Fortes took second place at 20.61.
Ainsley clocked 20.71 to improve on the previous record held by Mauritius’ Stéphane Buckland since 2008 by a full tenth of a second. Morocco’s Aziz Ouhadi who took second place with 20.85, was also the runner up in the 100m race won by Great Britain’s Dwain Chambers.
Other notable winners were Jamaica’s Isa Phillips who took the 400m Hurdles in 49.62 ahead of former double World champion Felix Sanchez who finished third in 50.13.
Local athletes were also successful and notably Yahia Berabah won the Long Jump with an effort of 8.04 ahead of Luis Felipe Meliz of Spain and Cuba’s Wilfredo Martinez. Mohamed Moustaoui took a convincing win the 1500m in 3:36.33 ahead of compatriot Abdelaati Iguider (3:36.57) and Kenya’s Cornelius Ndiwa (3:38.69)
Mohamed Benchrif for the IAAF
Leading results
Men
100m
1. Chambers Dwain (GBR) 10.28.
2. Ouhadi Aziz (MAR) 10.32.
3. Waugh Ainsley (JAM) 10.40.
4. Nascimento Yazalde (POR) 10.42.
5. Pognon Ronald (FRA) 10.49.
6. Galvan Matteo (ITA) 10.60.
7. Clarke Lerone (JAM) 10.84.
200 m
1. Ainsly Waugh (JAM) 20.71 (Record du Meeting)
2. Aziz Ouhadi (MAR) 20.85.
3. Dwain Chambers (GBR) 20.86.
4. Matteo Galvan (ITA) 21.07.
5. Yazaldes Nascimento (POR) 21.10.
6. Renny Quow (TRI) 21.17.
7. Ronald Pognon (FRA) 21.44.
400m Hurdles
1. Phillips Isa (JAM) 49.62.
2. Derevyagin Aleksandr (RUS) 49.92.
3. Sanchez Felix (DOM) 50.13.
4. Melnykov Stanislav (UKR) 50.25.
5. Paula Jorge (POR) 51.17.
6. Al-Fayez Yazid Abdulkarim (JOR) 56.90.
7. Serhei Serkou (BLR) 1:02.40.
1500 m
1. Mohamed Moustaoui (MAR) 3:36.33.
2. Abdelaati Iguider (MAR) 3:36.57.
3. Cornelius Ndiwa (KEN) 3:38.69.
4. Alvaro Fernandez (ESP) 3:40.82.
5. Mohamed Bensghir (MAR) 3:49.38.
3000m
1. Gathimba Gideon (KEN) 7:50.94.
2. Abdi Youcef (AUS) 7:53.14.
3. Alhamdah Jamaan (KSA) 7:53.28.
4. Ezzine Hamid (MAR) 7:54.65.
5. Yacine Mehdi (MAR) 8:29.17.
6. Aït Bahmad Abdelghani (MAR) 8:41.04.
Pole Vault
1. Stanislau Tsivonchyk (BLR) 5,20 m.
2. Pavel Burlakhenko (RUS) 5,20 m.
3. Mohcine Achaouri (MAR) 5,00 m.
4. Yuri Rovan (SLO) 5,00 m.
5. Samir Mafhoum (MAR) 4,60 m.
Long Jump
1. Yahja Berabah (MAR) 8,04 m.
2. Luis-Felipe Meliz (ESP) 7,81 m.
3. Wilfredo Martinez (CUB) 7,75 m.
4. Abdlhakim Mlaab (MAR) 7,39 m.
5. El-Sherif Sherif (UKR) 7,39 m.
6. Alexandru Baciu (ROM) 7,11 m.
Shot Put
1. Dylan Armstrong (CAN) 21,75 m (Meeting Record).
2. Marco Fortes (POR) 20,61 m.
3. Christian Cantwell (USA) 20,58 m.
4. Nedzad Melabegovich (CRO) 19,75 m.
5. Daniele Secci (ITA) 18,55 m.
6. Laurentiu Popa (ROM) 17,80 m.
7. Yoser Toledo (CUB) 17,74 m.
8. Mohamed Gharous (MAR) 16,61 m.
Women
100m
1. Ferguson-McKenzie Debbie (BAH) 11.46.
2. Ryemyen Mariya (UKR) 11.46.
3. Stuy Hrystyna (UKR) 11.48.
4. Povh Olesya (UKR) 11.68.
200m
1. Ferguson-McKenzie Debbie (BAH) 22.81.
2. Mariya Ryemyen (UKR) 22.84.
3. Stuy Hrystyna (UKR) 23.28.
4. Povh Olesya (UKR) 23.54.
400m Hurdles
1. Titimets Hanna (UKR) 57.29.
2. Gentili Manuela (ITA) 57.34.
3. Lhabze Lamiae (MAR) 59.37.
4. Valente Aida (ITA) 1:00.13.
5. Baggiolini Emanuela (ITA) 1:01.60.
800m
1. Simpson Jemma (GBR) 2:02.21.
2. Malika Akkaoui (MAR) 2:02.65.
3. Malika Abaakil (MAR) 2:05.86.
4. Egle Bakkeciunaite (LTU) 2:10.27.
1500 m
1. Jennifer Simpson (USA) 4:15.07.
2. Anna Mishchenko (UKR) 4:15.13.
3. Hind Chahyd (FRA) 4:15.55.
4. Tatiana Tomashova (RUS) 4:16.38.
5. Chara Mageean (IRL) 4:16.48.
6. Kaila Mcnight (AUS) 4:16.51.
7. Zoe Buckman (AUS) 4:16.59.
8. Hellen Obiri (KEN) 4:17.62.
9. Siham Hilali (MAR) 4:17.71.
10. Mercy Njoroge (KEN) 4:19.08.
11. Salima Ouali-Alami (MAR) 4:28.68.
Long Jump
1. Tigau Viorica (ROU) 6,24 m.
2. Kolaric Nina (SLO) 6,23 m.
3. Griva Lauma (LAT) 6,22 m.
4. Medgyesova Renata (SVK) 6,13 m.
5. Sandu Cristina (ROU) 5,81 m.
6. Dkouk Fatima Zahra (MAR) 5,38 m.
Javelin
1. Bani Zahra (ITA) 55m95.
2. Wessman Anna (SWE) 55m86.
3. Rebryk Vira (UKR) 55m61.
4. Gatsco Ganna (UKR) 54m97 (PB, SB).
5. Jakubaitite Indre (LTU) 51m46 (PB, SB).
6. Termure Ana Mirela (ROU) 45m97.
7. Ciobanu Andreea (ROU) 42m85 (PB, SB).-
