Errachidia (Morocco) (AFP)

Without caps or sunglasses, the brothers Rachid and Mohamed El Morabity dominated - again - the Marathon des Sables, the race that changed the lives of these two local children.

“I grew up there,” points out Rachid El Morabity, winner for the 8th time on Friday, at 35, his gaze turned towards an infinite horizon, sublimated by the mountains of black stones.

"Over there" is Zagora, the last small town in southern Morocco before the immense desert.

Rachid El Morabity still lives there, it is there that he discovered running, at school, when he was 14 years old.

He was running much faster than the others.

One day, he accompanied the participants of the Marathon des Sables (MDS) with his stride.

"And I encouraged Lahcen Ahansal".

Lahcen Ahansal is the legend of the Marathon des Sables, a 250 km event over 6 days in total autonomy, created by the Frenchman Patrick Bauer in 1986, the year in which Rachid was born.

Lahcen Ahansal won the MDS ten times between 1997 and 2007, a record that Rachid would like to beat.

On Friday, he therefore won an eighth victory with the 35th edition, already remembered as one of the toughest.

The 700 or so participants were impressed by the Moroccan, a very slim little man, whom each describes as someone "very kind with a great deal of humility".

His brother, Mohamed, presents him as someone "very serious while I am someone who does a lot of stupid things!"

- "The good life!"

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At the bivouac of the race, completely withdrawn from the world, Rachid is the center of attention.

He responds with a broad smile to requests for selfies.

And do not hesitate to give his contact details.

"They are looking for the secret of victory," he jokes gently.

Several participants of the 35th Marathon des Sables, during the 5th stage between Boulchrahl and Sud Jebel Irhfelt N'Tissaltk, in southern Morocco, October 8, 2021 JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

"But it's just training, and the mind is important. I run every day, running makes me happy and it's good for your health," says the 35-year-old champion, who passes as a racing car at the refueling points and runs facing the sun without protection for either the eyes or the head, while the temperature reaches 52 degrees.

The Marathon des Sables changed his life.

He has traveled the world in search of trails, in South America and Europe.

Rachid "goes on TV", now has a certain popularity and shares his experience by offering MDS preparation courses with Mohamed.

At 28, Mohamed is running in the footsteps of Rachid, whom he has not yet managed to beat.

But among the El Morabity, a family of eight children, we don't talk about rivalry.

"You know, me, with my brother, we do not race. If he wins, it's not a problem, and if I win, it's the same thing", assures Mohamed, who in four participations, consistently ranked second.

On Friday, he finished as runner-up to his brother but had the luxury of winning two stages.

"I'm under pressure. Thanks to Patrick (Bauer), I have a sponsor. The two weeks before the race, I didn't sleep well, really," said Mohamed, whose life was turned upside down with the MDS.

"It changes your life too much! Everything ... People ... It's like a family. And that's where I met my wife, a French woman who was a volunteer. She's pregnant. It's the good life, no ?! ", he rejoices before running off again.

© 2021 AFP