MID (Marathon International de Djanet ) in Algeria
Tuesday 28January 2003
 

Djanet, Algeria - For its third edition, 336 entrants took part in the MID (Marathon International de Djanet), a 3 stage-race in the Sahara.
The runners covered14 k each day, and it was Namibian Luketz Swaartboi, a marathoner who finished second at the 1993 Stuttgart World Championships, who dominated the competition from start to finish without any real opposition.
The Algerian Azzedine Sakhri took second position, after a great fight with Ruben Indengo from Namibia, who had won the 2002 edition of the race.
In the women's event, the fight for victory was much closer, with the winner only becoming apparent in the closing stages. Eventually it was Souad Aït-Salem from Algeria, the10 2002 k African champion who defeated the favourite Elisabeth Monghudi from Namibia, a marathoner with a personal best of2 :36, and who was36 th at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. Now Souad will focus her attention on the Paris Worlds this summer.
It's important to point out, that because of heat, sand, and the altitude entrants competed under hard conditions but they all enjoyed this event which is held in an area of outstanding natural beauty wonderfully, that is protected by UNESCO.
In particular, the race-director Mr Mohammed Zerrouki was very grateful to the IAAF for its contribution of 500 tee-shirts which were given to the runners, and after such a success, he would like to increase the number of entrants in future years.
Mr. Zerrouki also thanked the sponsors too, especially Sonatrach, the Algerian oil company which is an official partner of elite athletics, and Khalifa Airways, the official carrier of all the Djanet Marathon participants.
A lot of media covered the race : ENTV , KTV , Canal Satellite Algerie, all national newspapers, and ‘VO 2Marathon’ a French running magazine .

Results:

Women :
1Souad Aït-Salem 2:34: 54Algeria
2Amina Chaabane 2:47: 06Algeria
3Elisabeth Monghudi 2:47: 34Namibia

Men :
1Luketz Swaartboi 2:20: 25Namibia
2Azzedine Sakhri  2:23: 42Algérie
3Ruben   Indengo  2:23: 58Namibia


Chafik Boukabés for the IAAF