Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi shatters T12 marathon world record at Paris 2024 Paralympics
Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi didn't just break the marathon world record; she obliterated it.
On the morning of the last day of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the world of sport witnessed something truly extraordinary.
El Idrissi, the 29-year-old Moroccan sensation, crossed the marathon finish line at the Esplanade des Invalides with a time of 2:48:36, breaking the previous world record in the T12 marathon by nearly six minutes.
As she crossed the line, the Paralympic champion fell to her knees in celebration, crying into her hands as she defeated the notoriously difficult 42-kilometre course.
Reflecting on her historic run, El Idrissi said, “I wasn’t running for a time, only for a medal. I wasn’t aiming to get the world record, just to get the gold, and now I have both.”
But make no mistake, this wasn’t just a race; it was a masterclass in marathon running.
Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi: from 1500m silver to marathon gold
The race was tough, she admitted. “The course was tricky with a lot of changes and ups and downs. I managed to handle all the twists and turns.” This ability to adapt under challenging conditions is what sets her apart.
Behind her, the gap was vast. Her compatriot Meryem En-Nourhi trailed by over nine minutes, an impressive run in any other context but dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of El Idrissi’s triumph.
Tokyo 2020 champion Misato Michishita of Japan, whose record El Idrissi bested, finished almost fifteen minutes behind.
It was a race of contrasts between the old guard and the new, between expectation and reality. But the spotlight belonged solely to El Idrissi.
This marathon victory added yet another layer to an already glittering career. A two-time world champion in the 1500m, as well as the most recent Paralympic silver medallist in the event, El Idrissi’s range across distances is nothing short of remarkable.
Few athletes in any discipline can boast such versatility, silver in the T13 1500m and gold in the T12 marathon, both achieved within the same Paralympic Games.
It begs the question: what limits does this athlete have?