Rachid El Morabity

Rachid El Morabity is the most successful runner in Marathon des Sables history. He won the six-stage Saharan race for the first time in 2011 and then took eight consecutive editions from 2014 to 2022. His 10th title in 2024 equalled Lahcen Ahansal’s record, and a win in 20:55:47 in 2025 made him the first runner with 11.

His younger brother, Mohamed El Morabity, finished second behind him seven times between 2017 and 2025. In 2023 Rachid was second overall when the organizers imposed a three-hour penalty for outside assistance; he said he was being punished unfairly and withdrew, and Mohamed won his first title. At the 40th edition in April 2026, extended to about 270 kilometers with a 100-kilometer stage, Mohamed won five of the six stages and finished in 20:47:39. Rachid won stage three and placed second in 21:16:25, ahead of Ludovic Pommeret.

El Morabity has also won repeatedly over the organizer’s shorter three-stage format. He won the first Half Marathon des Sables Morocco in 2022, shared the 2023 victory with Abdelkader El Mouaziz, and won MDS 120 Morocco in 2024, in 2025 and in October 2026, when he covered 120 kilometers in 9:28:39 to finish 4:17 ahead of Louis Godeman. DUV also lists wins at Marathon des Sables Peru in 2017 and at the Half Marathon des Sables Jordan in 2022, 2023 and November 2024; away from the desert, he placed second at the 2016 OCC during the UTMB festival.