Press Release
For Immediate Release
Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8?s 8K Run
Moroccans Invade Crazy 8's
6-27-06
Kingsport, TN
Four athletes from the Kingdom of Morocco will get the royal treatment in Kingsport for the 2006 edition of the Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8's 8k Run. Three men and one woman from this small North Africa country will race through the candle-lit streets on Saturday night, July 15th in quest of the Crazy 8's crown, and possibly the Regional Eye Center $10,008 World Record Bonus.
Ridouane Harroufi, Mohamed Fadil, Karim El Mabchour, and Malika Mejdoub have recently made their commitments to Crazy 8's, aka The World's Fastest 8k.
"Morocco is well known for their quality middle and long-distance runners," said co-event director and elite athlete recruiter Hank Brown. "I think we've got some of the best coming right here to Kingsport."
25-year old Harroufi was born in Azrou, Morocco. He has personal bests of 13:34 for 5k, and 1:01:01 for the half marathon. He has a wealth of international experience with two trips to the World Junior Cross Country Championships (1999, 2000), and one trip to the big stage at the 2004 World Senior Cross Country Championship. True to Moroccan tradition, he's also quick on the track, with a 3:36.57 1500 meters to his credit. Harroufi will double in the Foot Rx Elite Men's Mile, which will be run the day before as part of the Blue Lizard Crazy Mile.
"If he's anywhere close at the end of the race, watch out," said Brown. "Also, that 3:36 shows that he could possibly go under 4:00 in the Crazy Mile."
Fadil and El Mabchour have similar credentials. Fadil's 10k best is just one tick over 28:00, while Mabchour recently slipped under 28:00 (27:55) at a meet in Rabut, Morocco. They have both run 13:30 for 5k.
According to Brown, the 5k and 10k times posted by the three male Moroccans would translate to low-to-mid 22 minutes for an 8k, which is in the neighborhood of the world record (22:03, Peter Githuka 1996).
Mejdoub is probably one of the top three female runners in Morocco. She recently finished 2nd in the Moroccan National Cross Country Championships, and has a very fast 31:05 10k on her resume'. She will also double in the Crazy Mile.
"We're very happy to have Malika here," said Brown. "I think she's our early favorite in the women's 8k race. Anytime you run 31's for a 10k
that's flying."
"I might need some help learning how to pronounce their names," remarked Brown. "But I don't need anyone to tell me how fast they are. We expect to announce more elite athletes soon. We have quite a few waiting to get visas to get into the United States, so their status is a little iffy. We'll keep our fingers crossed."
For more information, visit www.crazy8s.org
Sponsors are Indian Path Medical Center, SunTrust Bank, Holston Medical Group, Cardiovascular Associates, Regional Eye Center, Blue Lizard, Eastman Credit Union, REACH!, The Great Body Company, Foot Rx, Citadel Broadcasting, Oak Hill Cemetery, Culligan, Food City, and Charter Media.
VIP Sponsors are Mather Dentist Office, Mountain Region Family Medicine, Holston Medical Group, Martin Dentistry, Celebration Church, and UBS Services.
Crazy 8's is managed by We Run Events.