Morocco and Tunisia finish Paris athletics with marathon gold
Fatima El Idrissi set a women’s T12 world record as Wajdi Boukhili won the men’s T12 marathon.
Morocco’s Fatima El Idrissi and Tunisia’s Wajdi Boukhili won marathon titles as the Paris 2024 Para athletics programme ended on 8 September. The OIS and World Para Athletics report published by the IPC recorded an African victory in both T12 races.
Moroccan one-two and Tunisian triumph
El Idrissi won the women’s event in a world-record 2:48:36. Her compatriot Meryem En-Nourhi finished second, giving Morocco the first two places. The champion described managing a difficult course with changing gradients and turns, while explaining that her main aim had been the gold medal.
Boukhili took the men’s title in 2:22:05, ahead of Spain’s Alberto Suarez Laso. Morocco’s El Amin Chentouf won bronze. Boukhili had finished sixth at Tokyo 2020 and described making Paris gold his subsequent target. The two marathon victories provided a strong closing chapter for North African athletes at the Games.