As expected, the sixth edition of the Mohammed VI International Athletics Meeting was crowned with full success: good times and a large public who were able to see up close a whole array of big names who travelled to the Moulay Abdellah Complex in Rabat to take part in this 8th stage of the IAAF World Challenge circuit.

Given the athletes entered, it was the 100m race, the flagship event of the meetings, that stole the show. A race where everyone was expecting another brilliant performance from the American Justin Gatlin who, last Thursday in Rome, had beaten Usain Bolt, causing him to suffer his third setback since 2008. Except that in Rabat, it was the European champion, the Frenchman Christophe Lemaître, who distinguished himself in the best possible way, entering in pole position with a time of 9.98 sec. An excellent time but which, alas, was not homologated due to a strong wind blowing at 2.9 m/s.

A victory highly appreciated by Lemaître who made it known in a statement reported by AFP that "a bad start and a good finish that allowed me to catch up with Gatlin in the last five metres, that's the summary of the race". And to add: "I am in line with my good start to the season. Despite this start, I managed to stay in the race. I beat Gatlin, bronze medallist at the London Games (after a 4-year doping suspension, ed.), and Kim Collins (from St Kitts and Nevis, 3rd in 10.10)".

Gatlin ran in 10.02 sec, while the Moroccans Aziz Ouhaddi and Abdelghani Zghali finished 4th in 10.19 sec and 8th in 10.60 sec respectively.

If Ouhaddi missed the podium in the 100m, in the 200m he was on target. Aligned alongside sprinters of average standing, he managed to cross the finish line first with a time of 20.59 sec, with a wind once again favourable (3.1 m/s).

The Moroccan sprinter finished ahead of Mosito Lehata from Lesotho (20.63 sec) and the Belgian Jonathan Borlee (20.64 sec).

The second Moroccan victory in the men's table is to be credited to Fouad El Kaam in the 1500m, thus succeeding his compatriot Abdelaâti Iguider who withdrew from this meeting due to fatigue. El Kaam set a time of 3 min 34.68 sec, getting the better of the German Carsten Schlangen (3 min 35.07 sec) and the Kenyan Collins Cheboi (3 min 35.45 sec).

This race saw the participation of seven local athletes who had to settle for modest places: Yassine Bensghir (7th in 3 min 31.11 sec), Mohamed Moustaoui (8th in 3 min 36.56 sec), Zakaria Maazouzi (9th in 3 min 37.40 sec), Mohammed Tiaouli (10th in 3 min 38.13 sec), Ahmed Mainy (11th in 3 min 38.62 sec), Badr Rassioui (12th in 3 min 38.71 sec) and Sadik Mikhou (14th in 3 min 40.18 sec).

The 3000m steeplechase was run on high bases with a Hamid Ezzine who had terrible bad luck. He finished second with a time of 8 min 13.27 sec, stating that "this performance will allow me to compete in the next competitions with high morale", reports MAP. He was beaten in the sprint by the Frenchman Yoann Kowal who still had juice in his legs as he approached the finish line, completing the laps of the track in 8 min 12.53 sec.

The third step of the podium was trodden by the Ethiopian Gary Roba who ran in 8 min 14.39 sec, while the Moroccans Jaouad Chemlal, Mohamed Boulama, Mountacer Zaghou and Jamal Chatbi finished respectively 6th (8 min 19.22 sec), 8th (8 min 23.09 sec), 10th (8 min 23.84 sec) and 13th (8 min 25.37 sec).

In the 5000m race, the Kenyan Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa took first place in 13 min 03.58 sec, followed by the Burundian Aweke Ayalew (13 min 05.00 sec) and the Moroccan Aziz Lahbabi (13 min 09.45 sec).

As for the other local athletes aligned in this 5km, their ranking was as follows: Othmane El Goumri 5th (13 min 13.72 sec), Younès Essalhi 7th (13 min 16.07 sec), Soufiane Bouqantar 10th (13 min 20.98 sec) and Jamal Hitrane 14th (13 min 35.20 sec).

Just like the 100m, the 400m brought together big names in the discipline. Starting with the American, triple world champion, LaShawn Merrit, winner in 45.22 sec, ahead of his compatriot Joshua Mance (45.65 sec) and the Briton Nigel Levine (45.86 sec). The American star Jeremy Wariner finished 5th (46.06 sec) and the Moroccan Mustapha Ghazlana 8th (48.81 sec).

In the 800m, the first rank was in favour of the Ethiopian Mohamed Aman (1 min 44.37 sec), ahead of the American Duane Solomon (1 min 44.91 sec) and the Kenyan Anthony Chemut (1 min 45.48 sec), knowing that the Moroccans Samir Jamma and Nadir Benhanbel finished respectively in 6th (1 min 46.88 sec) and 7th (1 min 46.97 sec) places.

As for the technical events, logic was respected with the victory in the high jump of the Ukrainian Bohdan Bondarenko, who cleared a bar set at 2.28m, ahead of the Italian Silvano Chesani (2.28m) and the Botswanan Kabelo Kgosiemang (2.25m).

In the long jump, it was the Spaniard Euysebio Caceres who dominated the proceedings, winning after a jump measured at 8.22m. He finished ahead of the Greeks Louis Tsatoumas (8.02m) and Yeoryios Tsakonas (7.87m), while the Moroccan Hicham Douiri finished 5th with a jump of 7.61m.

In the discus throw, the winning trio was composed, in order, of the Spaniard Mario Pestano (65.79m), the Turk Ercment Olgundeniz (62.96m) and the Pole Przemyslaw Czajkowski (62.14m). The Moroccans Nabil Kiram and Kamal Omrani could do no better than 8th (52.75m) and 9th (49.71m).

Like the men, among the women, the flagship race was the 100m, won hands down by the Jamaican Kerron Stewart (11.24 sec), ahead of the Gabonese Ruddy Zang Milama (11.29 sec) and the American Tori Bowie (11.31 sec). The Moroccan Yamina Hjaji, who discovered what the high level is, finished a distant last in 12.26 sec.

In the 800m, Siham Hilali was pipped at the post in the final metres, finishing second in 2 min 00.20 sec, behind the Russian Ekaternia Poyistogova (1 min 59.80 sec). Despite being overtaken at the finish, Hilali was amply satisfied and rightly so, as she improved her personal mark by two seconds (2 min 02.04 sec). She stated in this regard to MAP: "I am happy to have been able to improve my personal performance in anticipation of the next deadlines". And to add: "My speciality is the 1500m and I preferred to run the 800m following the advice of my coach, after the three races I have competed in recently, the last of which dates back to last Thursday at the Rome meeting".

The 3rd place in this two-lap race was also Russian thanks to Yekaterina Kupina (2 min 00.45 sec), while Manal El Bahraoui finished 9th (2 min 05.57 sec) and Khadija El Mossaoui 10th (2 min 06.20 sec). Malika Abbakil could not finish the race as she played the role of pacemaker.

In the 1500m, Halima Hachlaf (5th in 4 min 06.69 sec), Btissam Lakhouad (6th in 4 min 07.97 sec), Rabab Arafi (8th in 4 min 09.19 sec), Sanaa Elothmani (10th in 4 min 10.92 sec), Malika Akkaoui (11th in 4 min 11.37 sec) and Ibtissam Ait Etbatoul (12th in 4 min 14.92 sec) had to settle for small performances. And it was the Kenyan Hellen Onsando Obiri who had the last word, covering the distance in 4 min 03.55 sec.

The 3000m steeplechase was one of the most spectacular races, with a duel at the finish won in the sprint by the Ethiopian Hiwot Ayalew who honoured her status as favourite (9 min 18.72 sec), outclassing the Kenyan Ludia Chepkurui who believed for a moment that her speed would allow her to cross the finish line first (9 min 18.77 sec).

It was a race at a sustained pace, a rhythm that the local athletes could not follow, Kaltoum Bouaasarya (6th in 9 min 33.94 sec), Salima El Ouali (7th in 9 min 37.48 sec) and Fadwa Sidi Madane (10th in 9 min 51.50 sec).

In the 400m hurdles, first place went to the Romanian Angela Morosanu (54.37 sec), while the Moroccans Hayat Lambarki and Lamia Lhabze finished 5th (56.92 sec) and 7th (57.61 sec) respectively.

Finally, in the triple jump, it was the Ukrainian Hanna Knyazyeva who won with a mark of 14.29m, while the Moroccan Jmaa Chnaik brought up the rear (12.83m). In the javelin, it was the German Linda Stahl who threw furthest, reaching 60.34m.

The page of the 6th edition of the Mohammed VI International Meeting turned, roll on the seventh next season. And this, while waiting for 2015, a year which should see the Moroccan meeting join the Diamond League circle.

The continental edition in Marrakech

The contract relating to the organisation of the 19th African Senior Athletics Championships in Marrakech from 10 to 14 August 2014 was signed on Sunday in Rabat between the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation (FRMA) and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA).

"This edition will serve as preparation for African athletes for the next Continental Cup scheduled for 13 and 14 September 2014 in the ochre city", said Abdeslam Ahizoun, president of the FRMA, adding "I promise a beautiful organisation of the 19th edition of the African Championships in Marrakech".