Moroccan Immigrant Rises to Become Top Spanish Trail Runner

Zaid Ait Malek and his cousin remained hidden in a truck for the five hours it took to cross the ferry. Without papers, he spent 12 years in Almeria and Baena before being naturalized Spanish in 2018. He had settled in Córdoba, where he learned Spanish and met members of the local athletics club, Media Legua Baena. Since his childhood, he loved to run in the Atlas mountains in Morocco, reports La Razón.

The members of Media Legua helped him find housing, participate in local races, obtain a municipal scholarship and above all, a residence permit in 2012. A year earlier, he was participating for the first time in the Subbética Trail half-marathon. Two years later, in 2013, he won his first race at Zegama-Aizkorri. Ait Malek then won Spanish championships, but had to give up these titles because he did not have nationality.

Given his performances, the Spanish Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing (FEDME) initiated the formalities for his naturalization in 2014, a process that will finally be completed in 2018.