Chahid El Hafed, 15/01/2007 (SPS) The seventh edition of the International Marathon of the Sahara will take place this February the 26 in the Saharawi refugee camps near Tindouf, according to the preparing Committee of this sports’ competition of solidarity with the Saharawi people which is organised each year since 2001.

Hundreds athletes coming from the different continents are expected in the Wilaya of El Aaiun two days before the start of this competition, which is baptised "Sahara Marathon", and which also includes a semi-marathon,  10 and 5 Kms, it was indicated.

The organisers also indicated that the Saharawi Athlete, Salah Hmatou, who came in second place in the 10 Km championship of Cap d'Agde in France, will participate to this event.

"The Saharawi feminine participation to this competition will pass from the 5km to the 10 and 21kms", the organisers stressed, estimating that this year more than 280 athletes coming from the USA, UK, Singapore, Polonia, Spain, Germany, Norway, and Algeria will participate.

In this edition it is also planed to have a super Marathon organised by Germany and which will start from Bir Lehlu region to Tifariti (liberated territories) where the athlete will have to ran a 110 kms.

This super Marathon is the second of its kind after that of the 200 Km organised in 2004 by the German Committee of the Sahara Marathon, which started from the Wilaya of El Aaiun to the Wilaya of Dakhla, in the Saharawi refugee camps, it should be recalled.

The organisers further stressed that two Saharawi athletes, Mohamed Moustapha El Haj and Boutalha Boukhari will participate to the Marathon of solidarity (12 kms), which will take place this Sunday in Modène, Italy. (SPS)

020/090/000/TRD 151302 JAN 07 SPS