Moroccan swimmers Hassan Baraka, Samia Benchekroun and Fakhita Drissi crossed the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday in a relay swim.
Leaving from Tarifa in Spain with an arrival at Dalia beach near the Tanger Med port, the Moroccan swimmers covered 15.3 km in 4h 05min 45sec.
Upon their arrival at the end of this adventure, carried out with the support of the Tanger Med Foundation, the swimmers were welcomed by children from the Dalia sailing school and summer visitors from Dalia beach.
In statements to the press, the swimmers expressed their joy at having achieved this challenge, carrying a message of brotherhood between Spain and Morocco, emphasizing that this crossing is a “very exciting adventure and a legendary experience for swimmers”.
The swimmers highlighted in a statement that swimming across the Strait of Gibraltar is among the 7 most difficult crossings in the world, noting that this crossing will be recognized as official after the Strait of Gibraltar Swimming Association Gibraltar (ACNEG) certifies it. For more than 35 years, these crossings have been carried out with only a handful of Moroccan swimmers, having succeeded in going to the end of this challenge.
The same source indicated that the swimmer Hassan Baraka once again crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, but this time in the company of two exceptional women, Samia Benchekroun and Fakhita Drissi, two Moroccan sportswomen who took up the challenge brilliantly.
Anxious to support other Moroccan athletes to realize their dreams and challenges, Hassan has initiated, since 2019, specialized coaching to accompany athletes (amateurs and professionals), to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, with a strong symbolic message. union between the two continents.
A second crossing will be organized next September with 4 other Moroccan swimmers whom Hassan Baraka will accompany in the realization of their sporting objective, with the aim of increasing the number of Moroccans who have succeeded in this crossing. Note that Jalil Belcaid was the first Moroccan to swim across the Strait of Gibraltar, followed by Mohamed Lahna, Youssef Ismail, Hassan Baraka, Slimane Lahbabi, Ahmed Majt, Boubker Benssediq and Dino Sebti, while Fedwa and Mouna El Bekri were the first Moroccan women to make this crossing, followed by Nadia Ben Bahtnane.
Hassan Baraka is the 1st Moroccan to reach the five continents by swimming, to finalize the World Marathon Challenge (Run 7 marathons, 295 km in 7 consecutive days on 7 different continents), and to participate in the world championship of Swimrun ÖtillÖ (60km running 10km swim), and the 2019 World Ice Water Swimming Championships.
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