El Amin Chentouf

Started: He first tried the sport in 2000 in Morocco. He began competing in 2008. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2019, 23 Aug 2012) Reason: He was inspired to take up the sport after watching Moroccan runners, including Hicham El Guerrouj, Salah Hissou, Jaouad Gharib. "I always had a dream that one day I would become a professional runner. I was always excited because I was lucky to live in a country full of stars in the sport of running. In that era in which I started practising running, Hicham El Guerrouj, Salah Hissou, Jaouad Gharib and many others were competing at a high level." (paralympic.org, 07 Mar 2024) Awards: In 2019 he received the Sports Merit Star from the Organisation of Military Sports in Africa [OSMA]. (hespress.com, 07 Mar 2019) In 2016 he was named Best Para Athlete in Morocco. (lionsdelatlas.ma, 01 Jan 2017) Additional Info: GUINESS RECORD He has featured in the Guiness World Records for completing the fastest marathon by a male Para athlete in the T12 classification. He set the time of 2:21:23 at the 2019 London Marathon in England. "It is a great honour to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, and I am very happy for the achievements I have achieved so far in my sports career, and I am still thirsty for more." (paralympic.org, 07 Mar 2024; guinnessworldrecords.com, 01 Jan 2024) MEMORABLE MARATHON DEBUT He competed in his first marathon at the 2013 Marathon World Cup in London, England, and set a world record in the T12 classification of 2:24:00. (paralympic.org, 27 Sep 2015)