Morocco Dominates Arab Athletics Championship, Secures 10 Gold Medals and Olympic Berths

At the end of the 4th and final day of this championship, the Moroccan athletics team (men and women), composed of 24 athletes, won a total of 31 medals (10 gold, 9 silver and 12 bronze), far outpacing the Tunisians who finished second with 16 medals (7 gold, 7 silver and 2 bronze) ahead of the Algerian athletes who came in third with 21 medals (6 gold, 7 silver and 8 bronze).

The 4th place was snatched by Bahrain, who totaled 11 medals (6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze), ahead of Egypt 5th with 19 medals (5 gold, 10 silver and 4 bronze) followed by Iraq (6th) with 13 medals (5 gold, 2 silver and 6 bronze).

It was the Moroccan athlete Noura Ennadi who opened the ball by winning the first gold medal of the day in the 400m hurdles event. Determined to chain the exploits during this final day qualifying for the Tokyo Games scheduled for this summer, the Moroccan athletes continued their breakthrough. This time, with the quartet Lamiae Lhabze-Soukaina Hajji-Assia Raziki-Noura Ennadi who outpaced all their opponents at the end of the 4x400m event.

In the assault on the silver medals, Oussama Nabil prevailed in the 800m, in the shot put, Zineb Zeroual took the lead and snatched her medal before Mouhcine Khoua triumphed in the long jump. For the bronze, the first medal was won by Manyani in the 400m hurdles, Hassan Moujahid in the 800m, Rahma Tahiri in the 1500m, Bachir Mbarki in the discus throw and Soufiyan Bouqantar in the 5000m at the end of a tough event.

More than 400 athletes from about twenty countries took part in this 2021 Arab championship, including athletes representing Tunisia (host country), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Palestine, Jordan, Sudan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon.