Taoufik Chafii, coach of the Moroccan national athletics team, said the country’s performance at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships was “positive”, particularly as seven of the 10 Moroccan runners who took part made it to the final stages of the competition.
Speaking to MAP upon the Moroccan delegation’s arrival at Rabat-Salé Airport on Tuesday, Chafii said that the gold and bronze medals won by Moroccan athletes represented a positive outcome for the country at the championships.
He encouraged the runners who did not achieve their desired results to persevere and demonstrate patience and discipline. He said that reaching the finals at a world championship is itself a positive indicator of the potential of this generation of Moroccan athletes and their ability to achieve better results in the future.
Read also : Morocco finishes U20 World Athletics Championships in 15th place with two medals
Meanwhile, Imad Bouchajda expressed his joy at being crowned world champion in the 800 meters, saying that the world title also comes with a sense of responsibility.
He also stressed his determination to continue working towards further achievements at upcoming competitions.
The U20 world champion won the 800 meters in 1 minute 44.64 seconds and said that he plans to increase his training intensity to maintain his strong results and represent Moroccan athletics with distinction at future international competitions, particularly the Olympic Games.
Read also : World Athletics U20 Championships: Morocco’s Imad Bouchajda wins 800m gold
Oussama Erradouani said he was proud to have won the bronze medal in the 1,500 meters, finishing third in 3 minutes, 39 seconds and 68 hundredths of a second. He acknowledged the tough competition, especially from leading runners from Kenya and Ethiopia.
Erradouani said the medal would motivate him to work harder and improve his performance at future competitions.
Morocco finished 15th in the medal standings among the 147 national federations that took part in the World Athletics U20 Championships, which were held in the United States from 5 to 9 August.
