Rachid El Morabity

Rachid El Morabity was born on 3 March 1982 in Zagora, in southern Morocco, where his family farms watermelons. His younger brother Mohamed El Morabity is also a competitive ultramarathon runner. He came under the mentorship of Lahcen Ahansal and Mohamed Ahansal, the brothers who had dominated the *Marathon des Sables* from 1997 to 2010.

El Morabity won the *Marathon des Sables* for the first time in 2011, wearing his mentor Mohamed Ahansal's shoes and backpack, ending a 14-year Ahansal family dominance of the race. He went on to win it 11 times: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025. His 2025 victory broke the all-time record of 10 wins previously held by Lahcen Ahansal. His fastest time over the six-stage race is 18:31:24, set in 2019.

He was denied a win in 2012 after sustaining a serious injury one kilometer from the finish line. His brother Mohamed won the 2023 edition, and at the 2025 race the two brothers combined to win all six individual daily stages between them.