Nezha Bidouane celebrating victory in Edmonton (© Getty Images)
Rabat, Morocco At the second edition of the international meeting on Saturday (19 June) at the Prince Moulay Abdellah sports complex, Nezha Bidouane the women’s 1997 and 2001 World 400m Hurdles champion made her comeback after injury with an encouraging 56.58 win.
There were also some encouraging performances by some of Morocco's young talents at the meeting.
Bidouane encouraged
34 year-old Bidouane, who has not competed since the Grand Prix Final in Melbourne on 9 September 2001 (5th 55.05) won from African Champion Zahra Lachguer (58.15) and Algeria’s Moussa Houria (58:86).
Bidouane has a personal best (Area record) of 52.90 established at the 1999 World Championships, when narrowly beaten by Daimi Pernia of Cuba (52.89) for the gold.
Encouraged by yesterday's performance the former two-time World champion, who took the Olympic bronze in 2000, next hopes to race in the Rome Golden Gala meeting on 2 July, the second leg of the TDK Golden League. There she hopes to achieve the qualification standard for the Athens Olympics (55.60 – A; 56.25 - B).
Hilali and Moustaoui - young gems
Despite Bidouane’s great return, the best performance of yesterday’s Rabat meeting - which has received the encouragement of the African Confederation President M. Hamad Kalkaba Malboum - was the 4:08.15 win in the women’s 1500m by the World Youth 3000m champion Siham Hilali – the fastest junior time in the world this year.
The time was also a Moroccan Junior record improving the long standing 4:11.40 of Bouchra Benthami which was set on 16 July 1998 in Nice.
Morocco also took first in the men’s 1500. Youssef Baba won with 3:35.62 ahead of a former World Junior champion (1998) Adil El Kaouch. Third place went to Algeria’s Tarik Boukhensa (3:36.62).
The young Mohamed Moustaoui finished fourth in 3:37:71, the third fastest junior performance in the world this year.
Moustaoui and Hilali will be among the favourites at the forthcoming World Juniors in Grosseto.
Amine Laalou who had already shown his form by running 1:44.76 at the Milan Grand Prix earlier this month, won the men’s 800m yesterday in 1:44.94, from fellow Moroccan Khalid Tighazouine (1:45.90) and Algerian Nabil Madi (1:46.52).
The women’s 800 was a battle between the Ait Hammou sisters, Amina et Soltana, and the Algerian Nahida Touhami. The final victory went to Soltana (2:01:11), who was followed home by Nahida (2:01.50) and Amina (2:03.22).
In the men’s Long Jump (no wind readings given) Hatem Mersal won with 8.00m exactly, with France’s Domenech Yann in second (7.93m), and Senegal’s Badji Ndiss finishing third (7.89m). Morocco’s Yahia had to be content with fourth place(7.83m).
Baya Rahouli of Algeria took a good win in the women’s Triple Jump (14.43 - no wind reading), as did Cuba’s Yumaika Crawford in the women’s Hammer (69.59).
Not to be overlooked either should be an 18:18.31 win in the men’s 3000m Steeplechase by Olympic bronze medallist Ali Ezzine, ahead of his compatriot Zouheir El Ouerdi (8:18.68).
Mohammed Benchrif and the IAAF
Results -
400m Hurdles
1. Kritzanger Marnuf (Afsud) 50:88
2. Jean Thedore Olivier (Fra) 51:28
3. Salmi Nabil (Alg) 51:45
Long Jump
1. Hatem Mersal (Egy) 8,00m
2. Domenech Yann (Fra) 7,93m
3. Badji Ndiss Kaba (Sén) 7,89m
Shot
1. Dodoni Marco (Ita) 19,13m
2. Ait Aha Hicham (Mar) 17,90m
3. Mottin Sergio (Ita) 17,59m
800m
1. Amine Laâlou (Mar) 1:44.94
2. Khalid Tighazouine (Mar) 1:45.90
3. Nabil Madi (Alg) 1:46.52
3000m steeple
1. Ali Ezzine (Mar) 8:18.31
2. Zouheir El Ouerdi (Mar) 8:18.68
3. Abdellatif Chemlal (Mar) 8:23.22
5000m
1. Zehraoui Abdelhalim (Mar) 13:40.78
2. Joseph Kosgei (Ken) 13:41.28
3. Mabchour Karim (Mar)13:42.87
10,000m
1. Mohamed Said El Wardi (Mar) 28:26.25
2. Ahmed Baday (Mar) 28:27.07
3. Abdellah Falil (Mar) 28:44.24
400m
1. Talmore Nyongani Young (Zim) 45:75
2. Ali Aboubakar Nagmeldin (Sud) 45:76
3. Parella Sanderlei Clara (Bré) 46:71
1500m
1. Youssef Baba (Mar) 3:35.62
2. Adil El Kaouch (Mar) 3:35.84
3. Tarik Boukensa (Alg) 3:36.62
Women
1500m
1. Hilali Siham (Mar) 4:08.15
2. Chaabi Bouchra (Mar) 4:08.48
3. El Mehdi Saida (Mar) 4:08.60
400m Hurdles
1. Nezha Bidouane (Mar) 56:58
2. Zahra Lachguer (Mar) 58:15
3. Houria Moussa (Alg) 58:86
Hammer
1. Yumaika Crawford (Cub) 69,59m
2. Claretti Clarissa (Ita) 68,00m
3. Arteni Georgiana (Rom) 60,16m
800m
1. Ait Hammou Seltana (Mar) 2:01.22
2. Touham Nahida (Alg) 2:01.50
3. Ait Hammou Amina (Mar) 2:03.22
5000m
1. Ait Salem Souad (Alg) 15:30.14
2. Mejdoub Malika (Mar) 16:01.11
3. Ouaziz Saloua (Mar) 16:17.23
Triple Jump
1. Baya Rahouli (Alg) 14.43m
2. Bisset Yusma (Cub) 14.19m
3. Mariana Solomon (Rom) 13.92m.
