Ruptly
"The 9th edition of the Rabat International Marathon 2026 kicked off in the Moroccan capital on Sunday, featuring fierce competition in the half-marathon and record-breaking performances by Ethiopian runners. Footage shows participants setting off from the starting line, competing during the race, and celebrating at the award ceremony as crowds cheer. The winner of the women's category, Ethiopian runner Meseret Abebayahu, expressed her delight at the victory and at taking part, noting that the organisation was 'very good' and the race was 'a bit hot'. "Everything went well, it was a fantastic event," shared Boki Deriba, the Ethiopian winner of the men's category, adding, "I'm very happy." The technical director of the Rabat International Marathon, Abdallah Boukraa, explained that this edition saw a record turnout of 5,000 to 7,000 runners in the half-marathon and marathon races, a significant increase compared to previous editions. Ethiopian runner Boki Deriba broke the marathon record, completing the race in a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 52 seconds, surpassing the previous record held by Kenyan Sammy Kigen of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 12 seconds, whilst his compatriot Meseret Abebayahu won the women's race in a time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 3 seconds. The Rabat International Marathon is organised under the supervision of the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation and held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco."
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