10 athletes who are the pride of Moroccan sport

10 athletes who are the pride of Moroccan sport

10 athletes who are the pride of Moroccan sport: Moroccan sport has produced some internationally renowned champions whose success has been the talk of the town. And if you ask yourself, who are the prides of Moroccan sport? Several names come to mind, including Hicham El Guerrouj, Nezha Bidouane and Badr Hari.

Just like our article on the best performances of the Moroccan soccer team, in this post we’re talking sport. Far from clichés, we invite you to discover our selection of 10 athletes who are the pride of Moroccan sport, thanks to their remarkable international careers.

Abdeslam Radi:

According to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Abdeslam Radi is the first Arab to win an Olympic medal. The Moroccan endurance runner hails from the town of Taounate. His participation in the marathon at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome was a crowning glory for Morocco, with a silver medal. It was Morocco’s first Olympic medal.

The photo shows Abdeslam Radi being received by King Mohammed V after his victory in 1960. This great Moroccan athlete won several other international competitions, including the ten-mile race in London. He was also invited by the United States as a guest of honor to attend the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. He died at the age of 77 in Fez.

Jaouad Gharib:

Of Berber origin, Jouad Gharib is a Moroccan athlete born in the town of Khénifra. A precursor of Abdeslam Radi, he is also a marathon specialist. Jaouad Gharib has written a glorious chapter in Morocco’s sporting history.
He won back-to-back gold medals, taking the World Marathon Champion title in Paris (2003) and Hilsinki, Finland (2005). He is considered the second longest marathon runner in history.

10 athletes who are the pride of Moroccan sport: Abdelmajid Dolmy:

Abdelmajid Dolmy is a former Moroccan footballer from Casablanca. Capping a long sporting career spanning more than 20 years, he is considered one of the finest Moroccan footballers of all time. He was part of the talented Moroccan team that shone at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Known as Al Oustad or the Maâllam, Abdelmajid was an excellent midfielder. Thanks to his technical skills in the game, he dominated the midfield and provided the team with a strong base for attack and defense. He accompanied the Moroccan team to the 1976 African Cup of Nations, the year in which Morocco won the CAN.

Younès El Aynaoui:

We’ve certainly all heard of Younès El Aynaoui. This tennis man, whose record of achievements is the pride of Morocco, has taken part in many national and international competitions. We’ll all remember his great performance against American Andy Roddick at the Australian Open (2003), scoring the longest fifth set in history.
With 5 titles to his name and after 18 years in the game, Younès decided to end his professional career in 2008.

Mustapha Hadji:

The gifted and highly talented Mustapha Hadji is far from unrecognizable in the Moroccan soccer world. His name is synonymous with good tactics and a breathtaking show. Mustapha Hadji played with the national team in the 94 World Cup. In 1998, he was awarded the African Golden Ball.

Mustapha Lakhsem:

Born in Germany, Mustapha Lakhsem is a Moroccan full-contact and kickboxing specialist who has won several national and international awards. Also known as “The Helicopter”, this Moroccan from the Middle Atlas has won 73 fights, including 30 by knockout! He is a three-time European full-contact champion and three-time world kickboxing champion.

10 athletes who are the pride of Moroccan sport: Badr Hari:

Who doesn’t know Badr Hari? This Moroccan heavyweight kick-boxer never ceases to impress us with his staggering performances, and his fights usually have a single destiny: to knock out his opponent. In 2009, he won the heavyweight prize at It’s Show Time in Amsterdam in 45 seconds… His opponent was on the ground, inert!

Saïd Aouita:

Born in Kénitra, Morocco, Saïd Aouita is the benchmark for long-distance and middle-distance athletics in the 80s. A former world record-holder in the 1500 m, 2000 m, 3000 m and 5000 m, he was also the only man capable of running the 800 m in under 1 min 44 sec. He won 115 of the 119 races he competed in between September 1983 and September 1990.

Nezha Bidouane:

Nezha Bidouane is the pride of Moroccan women. A specialist in the 400-meter hurdles, Nezha was world champion in 1997 and 2002. A native of Rabat, this sportswoman has forged a glittering career in athletics. In 1999, she was silver medallist at the World Athletics Championships.
Nezha was ranked among the top 100 athletes at the World Championships by the British newspaper The Times.

10 athletes who are the pride of Moroccan sport: Hicham El Guerrouj:

Hicham El Guerrouj, the Moroccan super athlete who was active between 1997 and 2008, is the current world record holder in the 1500 m, mile and 2000 m events. Highly dominant in middle-distance running, he holds 4 World Championship gold medals and 2 Olympic gold medals.

Bonus: Badou Zaki:

A native of the town of Sidi Kacem, Badou Zaki is one of the finest goalkeepers the Atlas Lions have ever had. Having devoted himself entirely to his passion, soccer, Badou Zaki has coached several Moroccan club teams. He particularly shone as coach of the national team at the African Cup of Nations in 2004, where Morocco were runners-up.