Bidiyah, Oman: The penultimate stage of the Oman Desert Marathon 165km & 100km delivered dramatic racing on Tuesday as Moroccan brothers ELMORABITY Rachid and Mohammed crossed the finish line separated by a single second. The innovative wave start system, designed to manage field spread and ensure safe completion times, successfully facilitated competitive racing while accommodating athletes of varying pace capabilities.
STAGE 4 RESULTS – 165KM DIVISION
Men's Division:
1. ELMORABITY Rachid (Morocco / Team TGCC) – 4:28:54
2. ELMORABITY Mohammed (Morocco / Team TGCC) – 4:28:55 (+1 second)
3. KHALID Al Farsi (Oman) – 4:42:12 (+13'18")
Women's Division:
1. AZIZA Elamrany (Morocco) – 6:24:37
2. AZIZA Raji (Morocco) – 6:24:40 (+3 seconds)
3. Dr. NATALIE Taylor (Great Britain) – 6:37:38 (+13'01")
Did Not Finish: • ALEXEY Baboshin (Russia)
Wave Start System Implementation Stage 4 employed a strategic wave start system to optimize field management and ensure all participants could complete the course within daylight hours and safe operational parameters: • 12:00 – First wave departure (slower-pace runners) • 13:00 – Second wave departure (middle-pace runners) • 16:00 – Third wave departure (fastest runners and 100km division hikers)
This reverse-speed starting protocol allowed slower athletes maximum time for completion, while enabling faster competitors to demonstrate their superior pace through the field. The system proved effective in managing the spread of participants across the challenging desert terrain.
Dramatic Finishes in Both Divisions The men's 165km stage witnessed one of the closest finishes in event history as brothers Rachid and Mohammed ELMORABITY completed the course within one second of each other after 4 hours and 28 minutes of desert racing. Both athletes, representing Team TGCC of Morocco, demonstrated exceptional tactical awareness and physical conditioning.
Omani athlete KHALID Al Farsi secured third position, finishing 13 minutes and 18 seconds behind the Moroccan leaders.
Moroccan Sisters Mirror Brothers' Performance In a remarkable parallel to the men's race, Moroccan athletes Elamrany and Raji AZIZA delivered their own dramatic finish, separated by just three seconds after over six hours of racing. AZIZA Elamrany claimed the stage victory in 6:24:37, with sister Raji crossing in 6:24:40.
Dr. NATALIE Taylor of Great Britain maintained her podium position, finishing third in 6:37:38, approximately 13 minutes behind the AZIZA sisters. The British Army medical officer continues to combine competitive performance with her ongoing appreciation of the desert environment. Russian athlete ALEXEY Baboshin withdrew from the competition during Stage 4. Race medical and support staff confirmed the withdrawal was managed appropriately, with athlete welfare prioritized. Baboshin had competed successfully through the first three stages of the event.
Final Stage Preview Stage 5, the concluding chapter of the Oman Desert Marathon, will commence at 08:00 hours following standard pre-race briefing protocols. The later start time has been scheduled to provide athletes with additional recovery time and adequate sleep following four consecutive days of intense competition.
The wave start system will again be employed for Stage 5 to ensure a safe and effective event conclusion for all participants.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
