"All the names announced during the press conference in May to present the 7th edition of the Mohammed VI International Meeting, the 7th stage of the IAAF World Challenge, have confirmed their participation," Ahmed Tanani, the meeting's technical director, indicated to "Le Matin". There will therefore be the New Zealander Valérie Adams (shot put), the Russian Tatyana Lysenko (hammer throw), the Russian Ivan Ukhov and the Ukrainian Bogdan Bondarenko (high jump), the South African Simon Magakwe (100m), the Ethiopian Mohamed Amman (800m), the reigning world champion, and the list goes on. Tanani also stressed that preparations are well underway and that the entire planned programme is being applied to the letter to ensure a successful meeting. The elite of world athletics is already starting to arrive in Marrakech from Friday, but the majority of athletes will have to be present this Saturday since several participated in the Rome meeting on Thursday. The majority of athletes will arrive this Saturday. Well-placed to join the Diamond League circuit next season, according to the president of the federation Abdeslam Ahizoune during the press conference for the presentation of the event, the Mohammed VI Meeting has crossed a threshold and is now becoming an unmissable stage of the IAAF World Challenge. On Sunday, the smell of gunpowder will envelop the track of the Grand Stade de Marrakech due to the expected duels.

Indeed, the high jump field is worthy of an Olympic Games final. The Russian Ivan Ukhov, who finished fifth at the Rome meeting last Thursday, will be keen to erase his performance, as he holds the best world performance of the year with a jump of 2.41m. He will cross swords with the Ukrainian Bogdan Bondarenko (second at the Rome meeting) who cleared the 2.40m bar this year. Eyes will also be riveted on the men's javelin throw event. Four of the best specialists in the discipline of the moment will also be present in Marrakech. These are the Egyptian Ihab Abdelrahman, author of a throw of 80.06 metres, the Estonian Tätas Risto (80.58m), the Latvian Siramais Zigismunds (81.60m), and the Russian Dmitrii Tarabin (81.70m). In the 800m, the competition will be fierce between the Ethiopian Mohamed Aman, reigning world champion and the only one to have beaten the Olympic champion David Rudisha.

Aman will have his work cut out for him against the American Duane Solomon, the best performer of the year with a time of 1 min 42 s 82/100. That's not all. The women's shot put event will be one of the highlights of the event with the presence of the best athlete in this discipline, the New Zealander Valérie Adams, Olympic champion and world champion, who has cleared the mythical 20-metre mark. Adams will have her work cut out for her against Cleopatra Borel, who achieved a throw of 19.10 metres this year.

Suspense will also be guaranteed in the 3,000m, where a highly anticipated duel between Ezekiel Kemboi, double Olympic champion and triple world champion, and the European record holder Mahiedine Mekhissi, just like the 5,000m event which will bring together the Ethiopians Edris and Merga and the Bahraini Albert Rop.

In the 100-metre event, the fight will be fierce between the South African, Simon Magakwe, best performer of the year with a time of 9 s 98/100, and the Jamaican Kemar Bailey-Cole.

Regarding Moroccan participation, Tanani indicated to us that all the athletes from the National Athletics Institute will be present on Sunday. In other words, all the best Moroccans (Abdelaati Iguider (1,500m), Rabab Arrafi (5,000m), Malika Akkaoui (800m), and Siham Hilali (1,500m) will be there to put on a show, particularly in the middle-distance events. In total, more than 200 athletes will take the start of the 23 events on the programme of this 7th edition which will take place at the Grand Stade de Marrakech. The national colours will be defended by 38 athletes, including 14 women.

Presentation of the headliners. The Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation (FRMA) will hold a press conference on Saturday at the Grand Stade de Marrakech to present the headliners of the 7th edition of the Mohammed VI International Athletics Meeting, the 7th stage of the IAAF World Challenge. Taking part in this press conference, scheduled from 10:30 a.m., will be, among others, the New Zealander Valerie Adams, Olympic champion and four-time world champion in the shot put, indicates a statement from the FRMA.

The International Meeting

Mohammed VI, relocated for the first time to the Ochre City, brings together during the 7th edition scheduled for Sunday (5 p.m.) athletes of international renown, representing 44 different countries, including Morocco, which will be represented by 38 athletes.