El Morabity wins third straight Marathon des Sables title

Home hope Rachid El Morabity won the 31st edition of the Marathon des Sables for his third consecutive title and fourth overall in the Moroccan Sahara.

El Morabity finished the fifth and final stage in third place but that was enough to see him crowned champion again.

Fellow Moroccan Abdlekader El Mouaziz took the runners up spot at four minutes and 17 seconds with compatriot Aziz El Akad a distant third at one hour and six minutes.

Natalia Sedykh won the final stage and became the first Russian to win the women’s overall crown since Valentina Liakhov in 1994.

French runner Nathalie Mauclair was second overall.