Marrakech: Kick off for the 8th Moulay El Hassan International Para Athletics Meeting

Saturday 27 April 2024 at 19.05

Marrakech – The eighth edition of the Moulay El Hassan International Para-athletics Meeting started on Friday in Marrakech, with the participation of 450 athletes from 64 African, European, Asian and American countries.

Morocco is represented in this international sports event, placed under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, by 60 athletes (plus 10 athletes in the blind category).

Organized by the Royal Moroccan Federation of Sports for People with Disabilities (FRMSPSH), in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, under the banner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), this major sporting event is marked. by the participation of Paralympic champions and Moroccan and foreign athletes with world records in their disciplines to their credit, and eager to achieve new achievements and thus improve their world ranking during this major international event.

Speaking on the occasion, the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Andrew Parsons, expressed his delight at participating in this grand event of world para-athletics and wished the best of luck to all participants.

He also wished to salute the efforts of Morocco in terms of development, promotion and support given to the various Paralympic sports disciplines, while welcoming the excellent quality of the infrastructure and sports facilities available to the Kingdom.

The president of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Sports for People with Disabilities (FRMSPSH), Hamid El Aouni, for his part, emphasized that this sporting event constitutes an important step for the qualification for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Morocco, he continued, is strongly present at this edition with around sixty competitors aspiring to win the first places on the final podium, noting that this event provides the opportunity for national athletes to measure themselves against the foreigners.

The opening ceremony was also marked by the presence of the President of the Arab Union for People with Disabilities, Ihab Hassanin, and the Director of Sports at the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Abderazzak El Akari, in addition to local authorities and national and international sports figures.

Several activities are on the agenda for this edition, including training camps for athletes and training sessions supervised by IPC experts for the benefit of national and international para-athletics and blind football coaches and referees.

Inclusive awareness workshops for students in the region are also planned, in coordination with the Regional Academy of Education and Training (AREF) in Marrakech-Safi and National Mutual Aid, as well as a communication meeting and exchange with associations associated with FRMSPSH.