Abderrahime Bouramdane
Encyclopedia
Abderrahime Bouramdane (born 23 June 1978) is a Moroccan
long-distance runner who competes in marathon
s. He represented Morocco at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After winning his first two marathons in Tunis and Marrakesh, Bouramdane represented his country at the World Championships in Athletics in 2005 and 2007.
He won his first international medal at the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
, taking the marathon bronze. He won the 2006 National Capital Marathon
and had a series of second place finishes, which included runner-up spots at the JoongAng Seoul Marathon
and 2008 Boston Marathon
. He placed in the top five at the New York City Marathon
in 2008 and 2009. His personal best of 2:07:33 hours was set at the 2010 London Marathon
. This time ranks him as the fifth fastest Moroccan over the marathon distance.
and, inspired by the exploits of Olympic marathon medallist Rhadi Ben Abdesselam
, he took up running
in 1993. He won his first two top level marathon races, breaking the course record to win the 2004 Tunis Marathon in a time of 2:15:38 hours, and then improving to 2:15:16 to win the Marrakesh Marathon. He gained selection for the 2005 World Championships in Athletics
in Helsinki
, but he did not manage to finish the race, dropping out after the 35 km. He formed part of a Moroccan medal sweep of the marathon 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
, taking the bronze medal
behind Zaïd Laaroussi and Rachid Kisri.
He ran at Ottawa
's National Capital Marathon
in May 2006 and set a personal best of 2:12:18 hours. He was not the first to cross the line, but a large group of runners had inadvertently taken a shorter route mid-race and, as the first runner to complete the full course, Bouramdane was declared the winner while nearly a dozen athletes were disqualified. His second run of the year was also in Canada: at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon he and Daniel Rono
quickly became the two race protagonists. Strong winds put an end to their challenge to the Canadian all-comers record, but Bouramdane improved his best to 2:10:41 hours as the clear runner-up by a margin of over three minutes.
He knocked a second off this time at the 2007 Ottawa race but was again second placed behind a Kenyan runner, this time David Cheruiyot. Another national selection saw him take 45th place at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
, one place behind team mate Kisri, but the premature exits of three other Moroccans meant the country did not rank in the World Marathon Cup competition. The JoongAng Seoul Marathon
in November saw Bouramdane duel against Samuel Chelanga for the title and although his rival won the competition, the Moroccan dipped under two hours and ten minutes for the first time for a best of 2:08:20 hours.
The 2008 Boston Marathon
saw him take his fourth consecutive runner-up spot on the road circuit behind a Kenyan elite runner, as he recorded his second sub-2:10 time behind Robert Cheruiyot
. His Olympic debut followed in August at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, coming 26th overall. His final big race of the year came at the New York City Marathon
, where he was fifth.
He failed to finish the Lake Biwa Marathon
in February 2009, and turned shorter races instead, placing in the top ten at the Nordion 10km in Ottawa. Having missed out on selection for the 2009 World Championships
, he returned to the New York Marathon later that year and took fifth place for a second year running. A personal best came at the 2010 London Marathon
, where finished in 2:07:33 hours to take fourth place. He was somewhat slower at the 2010 New York City Marathon
, however, but finished within the top ten.
He opened 2011 with a run at the Lisbon Half Marathon
and, setting a personal record of 1:03:47 for the distance, he was ninth overall. He had the third fastest run of his career at the 2011 London Marathon
as he took seventh position in a time of 2:08:42 hours, finishing just behind fellow Moroccan Jaouad Gharib
.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
long-distance runner who competes in marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
s. He represented Morocco at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After winning his first two marathons in Tunis and Marrakesh, Bouramdane represented his country at the World Championships in Athletics in 2005 and 2007.
He won his first international medal at the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
The 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie, also known as Ves Jeux de la Francophonie, were held from December 7-17 2005 in Niamey, Niger.-Sports: †† = Demonstration of traditional West African style-Cultural:*Fairy tale...
, taking the marathon bronze. He won the 2006 National Capital Marathon
National Capital Marathon
National Capital Marathon, or Ottawa Race Weekend, is one of Canada's largest marathons. It is held in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. The 42.195 kilometres event features many races, including: the MDS Nordion 5K Run/Walk, the MDS Nordion 10K Run/Walk, the ING Ottawa Marathon Walk, the ING Marathon...
and had a series of second place finishes, which included runner-up spots at the JoongAng Seoul Marathon
JoongAng Seoul Marathon
The JoongAng Seoul Marathon is an annual footrace that takes place in Seoul, South Korea, usually in early November. First held in 1999, the race was established as a commemoration of Olympic marathon race which was held as part of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. It features a men's marathon elite race,...
and 2008 Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
. He placed in the top five at the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
in 2008 and 2009. His personal best of 2:07:33 hours was set at the 2010 London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
. This time ranks him as the fifth fastest Moroccan over the marathon distance.
Career
He grew up in FesFes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
and, inspired by the exploits of Olympic marathon medallist Rhadi Ben Abdesselam
Rhadi Ben Abdesselam
Rhadi Ben Abdesselam was a Moroccan long distance runner. He was born in Errachidia.He competed for Morocco in the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome, Italy in the Marathon where he won the silver medal behind Abebe Bikila.-References:...
, he took up running
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
in 1993. He won his first two top level marathon races, breaking the course record to win the 2004 Tunis Marathon in a time of 2:15:38 hours, and then improving to 2:15:16 to win the Marrakesh Marathon. He gained selection for the 2005 World Championships in Athletics
2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, but he did not manage to finish the race, dropping out after the 35 km. He formed part of a Moroccan medal sweep of the marathon 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
Athletics at the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
At the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie, the athletics events were held at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché in Niamey, Niger, from 11–16 December 2005. A total of 43 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 20 by female athletes. France sent the largest squad and topped the medal table with 19...
, taking the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
behind Zaïd Laaroussi and Rachid Kisri.
He ran at Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
's National Capital Marathon
National Capital Marathon
National Capital Marathon, or Ottawa Race Weekend, is one of Canada's largest marathons. It is held in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. The 42.195 kilometres event features many races, including: the MDS Nordion 5K Run/Walk, the MDS Nordion 10K Run/Walk, the ING Ottawa Marathon Walk, the ING Marathon...
in May 2006 and set a personal best of 2:12:18 hours. He was not the first to cross the line, but a large group of runners had inadvertently taken a shorter route mid-race and, as the first runner to complete the full course, Bouramdane was declared the winner while nearly a dozen athletes were disqualified. His second run of the year was also in Canada: at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon he and Daniel Rono
Daniel Rono
Daniel Rono is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in marathon races. He began his marathon career in 2005 and has won marathons in Mumbai, Toronto and Madrid....
quickly became the two race protagonists. Strong winds put an end to their challenge to the Canadian all-comers record, but Bouramdane improved his best to 2:10:41 hours as the clear runner-up by a margin of over three minutes.
He knocked a second off this time at the 2007 Ottawa race but was again second placed behind a Kenyan runner, this time David Cheruiyot. Another national selection saw him take 45th place at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
, one place behind team mate Kisri, but the premature exits of three other Moroccans meant the country did not rank in the World Marathon Cup competition. The JoongAng Seoul Marathon
JoongAng Seoul Marathon
The JoongAng Seoul Marathon is an annual footrace that takes place in Seoul, South Korea, usually in early November. First held in 1999, the race was established as a commemoration of Olympic marathon race which was held as part of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. It features a men's marathon elite race,...
in November saw Bouramdane duel against Samuel Chelanga for the title and although his rival won the competition, the Moroccan dipped under two hours and ten minutes for the first time for a best of 2:08:20 hours.
The 2008 Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
saw him take his fourth consecutive runner-up spot on the road circuit behind a Kenyan elite runner, as he recorded his second sub-2:10 time behind Robert Cheruiyot
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot is a Kenyan marathon runner. He is known as a "true marathoner" who rarely races other distances. He has finished fifth or better in the first four international marathons he has entered....
. His Olympic debut followed in August at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, coming 26th overall. His final big race of the year came at the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
, where he was fifth.
He failed to finish the Lake Biwa Marathon
Lake Biwa Marathon
The held in Otsu, Shiga, is one of the prominent Japanese marathon races of the year. It is a male only competition and has IAAF Gold Label status. First held in 1946 and having taken place every year since then, it is Japan's oldest annual marathon race...
in February 2009, and turned shorter races instead, placing in the top ten at the Nordion 10km in Ottawa. Having missed out on selection for the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
, he returned to the New York Marathon later that year and took fifth place for a second year running. A personal best came at the 2010 London Marathon
2010 London Marathon
The 2010 London Marathon took place on Sunday, 25 April 2010. Up to 36,000 people are thought to have taken part, a record for the event. The men's event was won by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia with a time of 2:05:19 and the women's event by Liliya Shobukhova of Russia with a time of 2:22:00...
, where finished in 2:07:33 hours to take fourth place. He was somewhat slower at the 2010 New York City Marathon
2010 New York City Marathon
The 41st New York City Marathon took place on Sunday , 2010. Sponsored by ING, the competition was the fifth World Marathon Major of 2010 and an IAAF Gold Label Road Race. A record 45,344 people were entered into the race. Ethiopian runner Gebregziabher Gebremariam won the men's race in a time of...
, however, but finished within the top ten.
He opened 2011 with a run at the Lisbon Half Marathon
Lisbon Half Marathon
First held in 1991, the race has consistently delivered fast winning times. However, many of these times have been unratifiable for record purposes due to factors including: the course being too short , excessive tailwinds, as well as there being an excessive drop in altitude, which boosted...
and, setting a personal record of 1:03:47 for the distance, he was ninth overall. He had the third fastest run of his career at the 2011 London Marathon
2011 London Marathon
The 2011 London Marathon took place on Sunday, 17 April 2011. The men's elite race saw Emmanuel Mutai win in a course record time to become the fourth fastest ever over the distance. Runner-up Martin Lel sprinted to the line to beat Patrick Makau, completing a Kenyan sweep of the podium...
as he took seventh position in a time of 2:08:42 hours, finishing just behind fellow Moroccan Jaouad Gharib
Jaouad Gharib
Jaouad Gharib is a Moroccan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon. Winner of the 2003 World Championships and 2005 World Championships over the distance, he is also notable because he only began running seriously at the age of twenty-two...
.
International competition
| 2005 | Jeux de la Francophonie Athletics at the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie At the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie, the athletics events were held at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché in Niamey, Niger, from 11–16 December 2005. A total of 43 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 20 by female athletes. France sent the largest squad and topped the medal table with 19... |
Niamey Niamey -Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city... , Niger |
3rd | Marathon |
| World Championships 2005 World Championships in Athletics The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of... |
Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
DNF | Marathon | |
| 2007 | World Championships 2007 World Championships in Athletics The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
45th | Marathon |
| 2008 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
26th | Marathon |