Morocco’s El Idrissi Breaks Women’s Marathon World Record at Paralympic Games
In a remarkable display of athletic prowess, Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi has set a new world record in the women’s marathon for visually impaired runners during the concluding day of the Paralympic Games. According to the Associated Press, the 29-year-old athlete clocked an impressive time of 2 hours, 48 minutes, and 36 seconds, surpassing the previous record held by Japan’s Misato Michishita by nearly six minutes, a benchmark established in December 2020 in Hofu City.
El Idrissi’s compatriot, Meryem En-Nourhi, finished the race just over nine minutes later, followed by Spain’s Elena Congost, with Michishita finishing fourth, nearly fifteen minutes behind the victor. In the men’s T12 marathon, Tunisia’s Wajdi Boukhili triumphed with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 5 seconds, leading a strong performance ahead of Spain’s Alberto Suarez Laso and Morocco’s Paralympic record holder El Amin Chentouf, all three athletes achieving season-best times.
In the T53/54 wheelchair marathon events, Swiss athletes Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug showcased their dominance, with Debrunner, the world record holder, finishing at 1:41:50, which was over four minutes faster than Australian racer Madison de Rozario and the United States’ Susannah Scaroni, who secured silver and bronze medals, respectively. Notably, Tatyana McFadden, a highly decorated American wheelchair racer, finished in seventh place, just over twelve minutes after Debrunner. McFadden concluded the Games with a silver medal in the 100 meters and a bronze medal in the 4×100 universal relay. Hug claimed victory in the men’s race with a time of 1:27:39, besting competitors Jin Hua of China and Tomoki Suzuki of Japan.
As the Paralympic Games draw to a close, additional medal presentations are scheduled for later in the day. Artistic director Thomas Jolly has indicated that a celebratory dance party will take place at Stade de France as part of the closing ceremony. The United States women’s wheelchair basketball team is set to face the defending champions, the Netherlands, for the gold medal, alongside finals in para powerlifting and multiple para canoe races, culminating an exceptional week of athletic achievements and inspiring performances.
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