Rabat Set to Host the First World Para Athletics Grand Prix Event
Rabat, the vibrant capital of Morocco, is gearing up to host its inaugural World Para Athletics Grand Prix event, welcoming a constellation of Paralympic stars for what promises to be an exhilarating competition. This cultural hub becomes the second Moroccan city to feature in the World Para Athletics calendar, following Marrakech, a regular host that has successfully organized Grand Prix events in recent years. The addition of Rabat signifies the growing enthusiasm for para-athletics not only within Morocco but across the African continent, showcasing a significant advancement in the sport's popularity.
Tunis is set to be the other African stop on the circuit, hosting a Grand Prix in June, further emphasizing the continent's commitment to promoting para-athletics.
State-of-the-Art Venue and Stellar Athletes
The event will take place at the Olympic Stadium of Rabat, which was inaugurated on May 25, 2025. This modern sporting infrastructure is among the newest in Morocco, featuring a cutting-edge 400-meter track, advanced lighting systems, and a contemporary architectural design focused on maximizing visibility, comfort, and athlete performance. With a seating capacity of approximately 21,000, the stadium is already slated to play a significant role during the African Cup of Nations in 2025 and the World Cup in 2030.
From April 23 to 25, over 400 athletes, including 299 men and 140 women from 57 different countries, will compete in this thrilling three-day event. The African contingent is notably strong, headlined by Tunisia's seven-time Paralympic champion Raoua Tlili, who has kicked off her season with a gold medal at the Dubai Grand Prix. Tlili is set to compete in the women’s shot put and discus throw events for classification F41.
Notable names to watch include Jebali Raja, a bronze medalist from the Paris 2024 Games, who will compete in the women’s shot put event for classification F40, alongside Samar Ben Koelleb, the silver medalist from Rio 2016, also participating in the women’s shot put F41. On the men’s side, Yassine Guenichi, a two-time world champion and bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020, will be a strong contender in the men’s shot put F36 event. The Moroccan team, boasting the largest delegation with 52 athletes, is led by Aymane El Haddaoui, the Paris 2024 champion, who aims for victory in the men’s 400 meters T47.
The track events will also feature formidable competitors such as Mahdi Afri, a silver medallist from Tokyo 2020, competing in the men’s 400 meters T12, and Hayat El Garaa, another silver medallist from Tokyo 2020, who is determined to challenge Tlili in the women’s shot put F41.
The international lineup includes numerous Paralympic champions from Brazil and Colombia. Among them is Jerusa Geber, a two-time Paralympic champion from Paris, who will compete in the women's 100m T11 and 200m T11 events. This marks Geber's second appearance in Morocco, three years after her participation in the WPA Grand Prix in Marrakech. Also in the spotlight will be Petrucio Ferreira dos Santos, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, including a title at Paris 2024 in the men's 100m T47, and Fernanda Yara Da Silva, the Paris 2024 champion in the women's 400m T47.
Colombia aims to dominate multiple events with a strong lineup, featuring five-time Paralympic medallist Mauricio Valencia in the men’s shot put F34, alongside José Gregorio Lemos Rivas, a champion from both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and Luis Fernando Lucumi Villegas, a two-time Paralympic medallist competing in the men’s javelin throw F38. The Colombian team also includes Xiomara Saldarriaga Hernández, a bronze medallist from Paris 2024 in women’s discus throw F38, and Mayerli Buitrago Ariza, a silver medallist from Tokyo 2020 in women’s shot put F41.
Among the Asian stars, Uzbekistan's Khusniddin Norbekov, a three-time Paralympic champion from Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024, will compete in the men’s shot put F35. Indonesia has also sent two of its medallists from Paris 2024, Saptoyogo Purnomo (men's 100m T37) and Karisma Evi Tiarani (women's 100m T63), as part of a 21-member delegation.
Stay tuned for all the action from the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 in Rabat on the social media channels of World Para Athletics. Complete schedules and results will be available soon.
As reported by paralympic.org.
