Moroccan sprinter Rachid M’hamdi won the gold medal in the 400 meters on Wednesday at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh. M’hamdi claimed the title with an impressive time of 45.40 seconds, Morocco’s press agency (MAP) reported.
UAE’s Emmanuel Bamidele finished second in 45.71 seconds, narrowly ahead of Nigeria’s Gafari Atanda Badmus, who clocked in at the same time but was ranked third after a photo finish.
Speaking to the press, M’hamdi said he was proud to represent Morocco at such a major sporting event and appreciated the support of the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation and the Moroccan National Olympic Committee.
He described the race as extremely demanding, especially in the final 50 meters, and credited rigorous training and strong preparation for his ability to pull ahead in the closing stretch.
With this victory, Morocco has now won 22 medals at the Games, including 10 gold, 4 silver, and 8 bronze, putting the country 8th in the current overall standings.