Sahrawi Lehsen Sidahmed wins the world's most charitable race, the Sahara Marathon

The young Saharawi Lehsen Sidahmed won first place in the 20th edition of the Sahara Marathon that began Tuesday in the wilaya of El Aaiún and ended his 42 km tour in the wilaya of Smara, according to Rasdsport.

The winner of this 2020 edition, said he was very happy with this result, after expressing his solidarity and support for his people until he achieved independence.

With the participation of more than 500 athletes from five continents, the Sahara Marathon Edition started on Tuesday in El Aaiún (Saharan refugee camps) with the presence of Sports Minister Musa Salma; the governor of the Willaya of El Aaiún and the director of the Sahara Marathon.Shortly after 10:00, the Sahara Marathon started, a test that reaches its 20th edition with the objective of making known the situation of the exiles of Western Sahara and obtaining resources to finance humanitarian aid projects for these refugees settled in the southwest of Algeria after the Moroccan military invasion of its territory.

In its 20th edition, hundreds of runners from all parts of the world participate in the race to improve the lives of Sahrawi refugees. 

The benefits of the Sahara Marathon, become medicines, school supplies, tons of solidarity.This 42-kilometer race (from El Aaiún to Smara) is also the voice of a town that has been living in exile for 44 years. And it is that the real bottom race is the one that supports the around 170,000 Saharawis who resist day by day in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet.The Marathon of the Sahara is much more than a sporting event (21, 10 and 5 kilometer races are also deputy). 

Here you run for solidarity. Here you run for the freedom of a people who continue to fight for the fulfillment of the Peace Accords signed in 1991.

posted Tuesday February 25th
by Lehbib Abdelhay