Abid Zamzami breaks the Moroccan Youth 3000m record (© Mohamed Benchrif)
RabatAbid Zamzami who belongs to the Inzegane Athletics Club of the surroundings of Agadir set a new Moroccan Youth record for 3000m with a time of 8:04.57 at the 25th National Meeting of the Raja Club of Casablanca last Sunday.
The old mark of 8:06.00 was held by Mohamed Boufloussen since 7 July 2004.
Zamzami, the new national record holder, is currently training together with some 30 youth athletes in order to peak at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakech.
“This young boy has made amazing improvements,” said his coach Abdelaziz Sahère who also coaches Abdelaati Iguider, World Junior 1500m champion last year in Grosseto.
"Zamzami will undoubtedly be a great champion. We just need to be patient and keep working hard.”
Zamzami is not the only youth athlete expected to perform well in Marrakech next month. The Federation has also high hopes for Abdeghani Aît Bahmad (2000 Steeplechase) Asmae Ghizlane (1500-3000m), Fadoua Fadil (100m), Hayat Lambarki (400m Hurdles) Halima Hachlaf (800m) and Hasna Hilali (800-1500m) younger sister of Siham Hilali, World Youth champion at 3000m two years ago in Sherbrooke.
In addition to the athletes who have already been selected to compete at the IAAF World Youth Championships, the Royal Moroccan Federation will decide on selection of their Youth team following the Moroccan Championships next Saturday in Tanger.
Over thirty athletes are currently training at the National Athletics Institute of Rabat with former 5000m World silver medallist Zahra Ouaziz, former 3000m Steeplechase African champion Abdelaziz Sahere,Karim Ait Haj and Driss Ouajjou, current coach of the Ait Hammou (Amina et Soltana) sisters.
Mohammed Benchrif for the IAAF
