Organization / PublicationEl Mundo / Sahara Marathon
CategorySports Action stories
Prize3rd prize
Date27-05-2005
CountryAlgeria
PlaceTindouf
CaptionSpectators await the arrival of runners during the Sahara Marathon beneath a Sahrawi flag. The marathon is an international sports event organized to show support and raise funds for the Sahrawi people. The Sahrawis have been living in refugee camps in southwestern Algeria for 30 years, following post-colonial conflict in the region. The marathon has been run annually since 2000 along a route between three of the camps, and attracts hundreds of participants from all over the world. In addition to a standard-distance marathon there are shorter races and one for children. Runners sometimes have to battle against sandstorms of up to 120km per hour, and at times cannot easily see where they are going.
