Morocco in Pan Arab Games
Morocco went out looking for precious metals and found some: Gold, silver and bronze medals, that is. Morocco entered the 11th Pan Arab Games and won twenty-two gold, thirty-two silver and thirty-nine bronze medals. Morocco ranked fourth overall in the medal hunt. Cairo hosted the 11th Pan Arab Games held at Military Academy Stadium. Moroccan runner Brahim Beloua won the Half-Marathon Race in a record time of 1 hour, 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
Abdelkader Hachlaf won the 3000 meter Steeplechase after lagging behind the front runners till the last 800 meters. His teammate, Hamid Ezzine came in second place, giving Morocco the gold and silver. Hachlaf, a former 1500 meter racer changing to the Steeplechase, placed ninth in the World Championships earlier this year. This was his first gold medal.
The last time Morocco graced the medal stand in the Triple Jump was 1953. Tarek Bouktib changed all that with a jump of 16.46m putting him on the top.
The women’s team took first in the 4X100 and 4X400 relay races. They have the distinction of winning these events 10 times out in the past 11 years.
Morocco earned two gold medals and one silver in the taekwondo competition. Other Moroccans to win gold were Mohcine Lahcein, a cyclist, pole vaulter Karim Mafhoum, hurdle jumper Lamia Lhahz, and Hicham Halim. The Moroccan team was made up by 32 athletes and took part in 18 events. Our congratulations to the Moroccan team for a job well done!
…more Morocco gold medal winners
by Carole Morris
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