Participated in the Casablanca Marathon !

2026.04.02

: Tomoyuki Kawabata, Chief Representative, JICA Morocco Office

The global running and marathon boom has reached Morocco as well, with various running events held across the country. On October 26, 2025, Morocco’s largest running event—the Casablanca Marathon—took place. I had the opportunity to join the race together with colleagues and JICA Volunteers, and I would like to share some impressions from the day.

The Hassan II Mosque at dawn is breathtaking. Facing the Atlantic Ocean, the mosque is stunning at sunset, but its nighttime illumination is just as captivating

At 6:30 a.m., participants gathered in front of the Hassan II Mosque, one of Casablanca’s most iconic landmarks and among the largest mosques in the world. Although Moroccans are often said to start their mornings a bit later, many runners were already heading to the starting area in the pre-dawn darkness—an impressive sight. (From JICA Morocco, two runners joined the full marathon, and four participated in the 4 × 10 km relay.)

I took part in the full marathon. At the start area, groups of Moroccan runners wearing matching shirts, participants taking photos with their friends, and DJs energizing the crowd from elevated booths created a lively and festive atmosphere. Out of roughly 10,000 participants, only a few hundred ran the full marathon. Most opted for the half marathon or relay. Even so, the race was well organized, with clearly separated start blocks and time-based pacers such as those holding “3:00:00” and “3:30:00” signs, giving the event an international feel.

At 8:00 a.m., the full marathon began with the sound of the starting gun. Leaving the majestic mosque behind, runners surged into the streets of Casablanca. Before long, the 3:30 pacer ran beside me and said, “Are you Japanese? I like Japanese anime—I want to visit Japan someday.” We ran together for a short while. Supporters along the course cheered enthusiastically with shouts of “Allez! Bon Courage!” in French, creating an excitement comparable to races in Japan. Traditional Moroccan music performers also appeared along the route, waving and cheering on the runners.

The course offered a constantly changing landscape—from the Atlantic coastline to the mosque, upscale residential areas, and clusters of high-rise buildings—allowing runners to enjoy Casablanca’s diverse scenery.

Before the start, I ran into a JICA expert currently based in Rwanda, who told me that the capital city, Kigali, also hosts an international marathon every June

Runners leaning forward as if ready to dash off even before the ten‑second countdown appeared

Volunteers dressed in traditional Moroccan attire cheering with lively traditional music

At the 10 km and 20 km points, I exchanged high-fives with JICA Volunteers participating in the relay marathon as we continued around the city. The strong African sun gradually slowed my pace. A JICA Volunteer running the full marathon (E san) eventually caught up to me and encouraged, “Kawabata san, let’s stick with the pacer!” But all I could manage to reply was, “No, go on and leave me behind…”

The final 10 km took us through Casablanca’s old town, where generous cheers from local residents gave me the push I needed to keep moving. With less than 2 km left, the ocean and the Hassan II Mosque came back into view. Drawing on the last of my strength, I made a final sprint to the finish, crossing the line four minutes after E san.

The relay runners and staff members also finished their races with impressive performances—quite remarkable considering some of them had said they “hardly ever run.”

At the finish, participants received a gift bag filled with dates, apples, gummies, and other popular Moroccan snacks—surprisingly abundant and very welcome after the race. Under the DJ booth near the finish area, runners danced and enjoyed the festive atmosphere, embodying Casablanca’s cheerful spirit.

Although Morocco may feel “far away” from Japan, the two countries share a longstanding relationship, particularly in fisheries cooperation, and this year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties. While Morocco is known for its major tourist destinations and Africa’s first high-speed railway, it also faces ongoing challenges, including severe water shortages due to climate change, disparities in education and healthcare between urban and rural areas, and high youth unemployment. Continued cooperation from Japan is expected in these fields.

JICA will keep supporting Morocco’s development and contributing to new opportunities for both Morocco and Japan in various ways.

The Casablanca Marathon was a wonderful opportunity to feel the energy, warmth, and dynamism of a country gearing up for co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

I hope many of you will consider joining next year’s Casablanca Marathon—and visiting Morocco as well!

A group photo of the four JICA Volunteers and two staff members who ran the race. Well done, everyone! (The author is on the far right.)