French Amputee Runner to Make History at Marathon des Sables in Moroccan Sahara

Jérémy Mourrejeau, 33, will be the first participant with a tibial amputation wishing to complete the 250 km at the 37th edition of the mythical Marathon des Sables, which will take place from April 21 to May 1, 2023 in the heart of the Moroccan Sahara, alongside 1,199 other runners from 55 countries. The idea of participating in this competition does not come from him. Rather from the members of the CERS (European Center for Sports Rehabilitation) in Capbreton (Landes). They contacted him. "They had the goal of allowing an amputee person to complete the race. I took time to think about it, because I needed my wife’s approval. I also went to find out what was waiting for me there," he confides to La Dépêche du Midi.

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Jérémy was not born disabled. In 2009, he had been the victim of a serious motorcycle accident that shattered his dream of becoming a firefighter. In 2017, the doctors amputated his left leg at the tibial level due to complications. Since then, the Ariège resident of Saint-Amadou has been taking on major challenges. "That’s when I started setting myself challenges. Climbing, skateboarding, skiing... I wanted to see how far I could go. And little by little, I increased the difficulty (laughs)," he says.

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This is enough to make the director of the Montaigu-Plantaurel residential home, where he works, proud. "Jérémy is someone who is very committed to his professional and sporting life," she describes. He offers people with disabilities sports activities that are always out of the ordinary. Everyone will follow his adventures in Morocco." Jérémy is already preparing to face the mythical event: "I’m doing long outings and muscle strengthening."

The thirty-year-old also expresses a moderate confidence in his participation. "I’ll be afraid when I’m in the race. Yes, I have some apprehensions. I’m apprehensive about the weight of the backpack. I’ll especially have to be very careful with my stump. It’s also the first time I’ll be away from my wife and children for so long. But once I’m launched, there won’t be much that will stop me."