Casablanca Marathon: Three course records broken and nearly 9,000 runners at the finish line
Three event records were broken on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the 17th edition of the Casablanca International Marathon, which brought together runners of 88 nationalities in the streets of Morocco's economic capital, according to L'ODJ Média and Le Brief.
In the men's race, Kenyan Daniel Kiprono Sang completed the 42.195 km in 2:06:41, a new course record. His compatriot Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo followed him in 2:07:17, and Ethiopian Mandefro Workineh Tadese completed the podium in 2:08:40.
The women's race, the fastest in the event's history
Ethiopian Ayalew Bere also shattered the Casablanca record, finishing in 2:25:21. Behind her, Moroccan Soukaina Atanane took second place in 2:26:40, and Kenyan Gladys Cherop Longari took third in 2:27:21 in her first official marathon, notes the specialized site Athletics News 365. Five runners finished under 2:28, including Ethiopian Sofia Assefa, an Olympic silver medalist in the 3,000m steeplechase who has transitioned to road racing, finishing fourth in 2:27:47.
The half-marathon was a success for Morocco. Yakoub Labquira won in 1:01:21, four seconds ahead of Kenyan Shadrack Korir Kipyegon, with Ugandan Martin Magengo Kiprotich coming in third in 1:01:33. In the women's race, Fatiha Asmid set the third record of the day in 1:07:22, ahead of two other Moroccans, Meryeme Azrour and Kaoutar Farkoussi.
A mass-participation sport taking root
Beyond the times, it is the crowd that tells the real story. Approximately 14,000 people registered, more than 10,000 started the race, and nearly 9,000 crossed the finish line, compared to 6,700 the previous year: an increase of more than 30% in one year, according to L'ODJ Média.
Road marathons remain one of the few areas where Africa reigns without any possible contest. But the Casablanca race shows something else: the continent is no longer just exporting its champions to London, Berlin, or Boston; it is hosting events on its own soil that attract thousands of amateur runners and athletes from 88 countries. A sports infrastructure that is being built, kilometer by kilometer.
This article was written in French with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited below, then translated from French automatically. Read the original.
