By Elias Makori, Managing Editor
What a breathtaking transition of pace! Leaving behind the slow, meticulous baseline duels of the Parisian clay, my sports travel took a high-velocity turn south to Morocco.
As the tennis world continued its fortnight of drama in France, the athletics universe converged on the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium for the Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athletisme. One continent, two wildly different terrains, but the exact same pursuit of human excellence.
Rabat is a city where ancient fortress walls guard a rapidly modernising future. It is the perfect backdrop for a Diamond League meeting, an event that demands both the discipline of tradition and the explosive burst of modern speed.
On the track, the African continent’s athletics royalty delivered exactly what the passionate Moroccan crowd came to see. The energy in the stadium was electric, capped off in spectacular fashion by local hero Soufiane El Bakkali.
He brought the stadium to its feet, charging to a world-leading time of seven minutes, 57.25 seconds in the 3,000m steeplechase to secure his fifth consecutive home victory.
Kenyans Clock Personal Best Times
Kenya's Simon Kiprop Koech fought hard to finish on the podium in third (7:59.44), closely followed by our rising teenage sensation Edmund Serem in fourth. Both clocking personal best times!
The middle-distance events, however, delivered the biggest shocks of the evening. In the highly anticipated men's 800m, Kenya's Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi made his seasonal debut. Despite a fierce late charge to close the gap, Wanyonyi was stunned by Great Britain’s Max Burgin, who controlled the final stretch to secure a magnificent victory in a season-best 1:42.98, leaving our star in second place at 1:43.56.
Kenya's Barnaba Korir, the Technical Delegate at the 2026 Rabat Diamond League meeting (left) catches up with Moroccan steeplechase superstar Soufiane El Bakkali on the sidelines of the meet. (Photo / Elias Makori)
There was a bittersweet note in the women's 800m as well, where Switzerland's Audrey Werro shattered a 10-year-old meeting record to win in 1:56.56, while Kenya’s Lilian Odira dipped desperately at the line to secure a brave third-place finish in 1:57.27.
Meanwhile, the sprint tracks caught fire as America's Kenny "Kung-fu" Bednarek stormed to a blistering 19.69 seconds in the 200m — obliterating an eight-year-old meeting record and holding off Botswana’s Olympic king Letsile Tebogo, who took second in 19.96.
But the trip wasn't just about celebrating individual greatness; it was also about creating networks for sport.
Sports And Diplomacy Meet
On the sidelines of the meet, the diplomatic power of sport was reinforced on June 1 during a courtesy visit to the Kenyan Embassy in Rabat to also celebrate Madaraka Day.
Meeting with our Ambassador to Rabat, Her Excellency Jessica Gakinya, the discussions focused heavily on the future of athletics, sports tourism and how Kenya and Morocco can exchange expertise — specifically combining Kenya’s world-renowned high-altitude training models with Morocco’s state-of-the-art sports academy infrastructure, and also about school tours by Kenyan students to Morocco and the possibility of the resumption of direct Nairobi-Casablanca or Nairobi-Rabat flights.
It was my second trip to Morocco this year, the first one being in January for the dramatic Africa Cup of Nations finals and the latest one in my role as World Athletics Media Delegate for the Rabat Diamond League meeting where I oversaw and helped make the media operations at Africa’s only Diamond League meeting successful.
I was impressed by the efforts by the local media team and volunteers and had an amazing time at the impressive Hotel Conrad Rabat Arzana on Plage Val Or, where single rooms start at $308 (Sh40,000) a night, certainly worth the amount with its five-star, sea-view experience. I was particularly impressed by the infinity pool, children’s playroom and amazing dining experience.
Universal Language Of Stride, Sweat, Shared Heritage
In my previous visits on World Athletics duty, I was equally impressed by the $347 (Sh45,000) per night Rabat Marriott on Avenue Inaouin right in the city and next to the popular Arribat Centre shopping mall and Al Medina Stadium.
The impressive Hotel Conrad Rabat Arzana on Plage Val Or, where single rooms start at $308 (Sh40,000) a night. (Photo / Elias Makori)
Conservatively, previous stays at the NJ Hotel Rabat ($95 or Sh12,350), Hotel Borj Rabat ($108, Sh14,000) and AZ Hotel Des Arts ($85, Sh11,050) were quite satisfying, especially owing to their proximity to the Medina Market where one can shop for anything Moroccan at extremely reasonable prices.
Rabat is a walker’s paradise! Early morning walks on the shores of the North Atlantic saw me slice 10 minutes off my 10km walking time in just one month, clocking one hour, 49 minutes and 49 seconds, perhaps motivated by the impeccably paved sidewalks, cool Atlantic breeze and the soothing soundtrack of crashing waves that inspired the faster pace.
The ubiquitous cyclists, joggers and fellow brisk walkers made Rabat’s waterfront appear to be a living fitness arena.
As my time in this beautiful coastal capital wound down, I was reminded that track and field is more than just stopwatches and finish lines. It is a universal language of stride, sweat, and shared heritage.
Until next week, keep your boarding pass ready.
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Boarding Pass Travel Tip: Rabat on a Budget:
Travelling from East to North Africa can sometimes feel like trying to run a 3,000m steeplechase without any water jumps—unnecessarily complex and bound to leave your wallet sweating. However, with strategic planning, you can witness athletics royalty without resorting to selling a kidney or breaking the bank.
I was lucky to be living the five-star infinity pool life on World Athletics' tab, but for a budget traveller, here is how the maths actually stacks up when you are not balling out like a Diamond League VIP:
A seven-day budget trip from Nairobi to Rabat for the Diamond League features a lowest-floor cost of approximately Sh143,500 and a realistic upper range of Sh215,000.
Key savings include flying to Casablanca rather than Rabat, utilizing the Al Boraq high-speed train, staying in traditional Riads, and eating local street food.
I sampled the large servings of chicken and local chapati at one of the numerous street food outlets and was certainly not disappointed.
EgyptAir offers the cheapest return airfare starting around Sh90,000, routed from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) via Cairo International Airport (CAI) to Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport (CMN).
For a more realistic upper range of Sh130,000, Saudia operates multi-airline itineraries via King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), while Qatar Airways provides premium routing via Hamad International Airport (DOH) before you take the final Al Boraq train link to Rabat.
Time to depart from the small Rabat Sale Airport. Budget travellers should skip flying directly to Rabat but rather book EgyptAir to Casablanca to bypass small-airport premium surcharges. (Photo / Pool)
Travel Expense Breakdown:
- Return Airfare (Nairobi to Casablanca): EgyptAir via Cairo (Cheapest: Sh90,000) vs. Saudia via Jeddah or Qatar Airways via Doha (More Realistic: Sh130,000);
- Budget Accommodation (6 Nights): Local Riads outside the Medina (Cheapest: Sh21,000 at Sh3,500/night) vs. Mid-range Agdal studios (More Realistic: Sh39,000 at Sh6,500/night).
- Daily Food & Local Transport (7 Days): Street food and Rabat Tramway (Cheapest: Sh17,500 at Sh2,500/day) vs. Sit-down local diners (More Realistic: Sh28,000 at Sh4,000/day).
- Moroccan Visa & Insurance: Mandatory standard consular and travel policy fees (Cheapest: Sh12,000 vs. More Realistic: Sh15,000).
- Al Boraq High-Speed Train (Return): Casablanca Airport to Rabat Ville via ONCF national rail link (Cheapest: Sh3,000 at Sh1,500 each way vs. More Realistic: Sh3,000).
- TOTAL BUDGET: Floor pricing hits Sh143,500 if you fly cheap airlines and eat like a starving student, while a more realistic upper range lands at Sh215,000.
The 4-Step "Cheapest Strategy" Playbook:
- The Casablanca Pivot: Skip flying directly to Rabat; book EgyptAir to Casablanca to bypass small-airport premium surcharges;
- The High-Speed Railway: Evade predatory airport taxi drivers by boarding the Al Boraq high-speed train for Sh1,500 to reach Rabat in under an hour;
- The Medina Shelter: Forget the Sh40,000-a-night Conrad Hotel; sleep in an authentic, budget-friendly Medina Riad.
- The Tajine Subsidy: Dodge tourist-trap restaurants and rely on Rabat's clean tram network to eat Sh250 street-side Tajines with the locals.
Elias Makori, a former long-serving Managing Editor (Sports) at the Nation Media Group, is the Founding Managing Editor at Pura Vida Sports Africa. elias.makori@ymail.com
