Nadia Ejjafini

Nadia Ejjafini (born 8 November 1977) is a Moroccan-born professional long-distance runner. She switched nationality from her birth country to Bahrain in 2003, and later became an Italian citizen by marriage in 2009.

Nadia Ejjafini
Nadia Ejjafini (#5) at the 2007 Milan Marathon.
Personal information
NationalityItalian
Born (1977-11-08) 8 November 1977
Rabat, Morocco
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight51 kg (112 lb)
Sport
CountryItaly Italy
SportAthletics
Event(s)Long distance running
ClubC.S. Esercito
Coached byAndrea Bello
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
  • 5000 m: 15:16.54 (2012)
  • 10000 m: 31:45.14 (2012)
  • Half marathon: 1:08:27 (2011)
  • Marathon: 2:26:15 (2011)
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Pan Arab Games 2 0 1

Biography

She finished fourth in the 5000 metres at the 1998 World Junior Championships. She won the half marathon race at the 1999 Pan Arab Games, at the time representing Morocco.[1] She won the Giro di Castelbuono race in 2002.[2]

Ejjafini competed at the World Cross Country Championships in 2003 and 2004 and in the marathon at the World Championships in 2003 and 2005. She also competed in the marathon at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics, but did not finish on either attempt. She was fourth over 5000 m at the 2006 Asian Games.

She enjoyed much success on the road circuit in 2006: she won the Tilburg Ten Miles, Diecimiglia del Garda, Parelloop, Circuito Podistico and Rome-Ostia Half Marathon that year. She also took consecutive victories at both the Corrida de Langueux and Corrida de Houilles 10K races in 2006 and 2007.[3][4]

Representing Bahrain, she took a 5000 m silver medal and 10,000 m bronze medal at the 2007 Military World Games and won the bronze at the 2007 Asian Cross Country Championships.[5][6] At the Athletics at the 2007 Pan Arab Games, she was the 10,000 m gold medallist.[7]

She gained Italian citizenship in September 2009 by marriage.[8] That year she was the winner at the Singelloop Utrecht. She won her first national title at the 2011 Italian Athletics Championships over 10,000 m. She came second at the Cross della Vallagarina in January 2011, finishing behind Ethiopian runner Fente Alemu Birtukan.[9] She represented Italy internationally for the first time at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, coming 34th overall.[10] The following month she took part in the Great Ireland Run and reached the top three.[11]

She won the Cremona Half Marathon in October with a career best run of 1:08:27 hours and a personal best of 2:26:15 in the marathon followed, as she was sixth at the Frankfurt Marathon.[12] At November's Cross Internacional Valle de Llodio she won the 7.64 km race with half a minute to spare.[13] She was in contention for a medal for much of the race at the 2011 European Cross Country Championships, but was edged into fourth late on by Gemma Steel. At the Cross de Venta de Baños later that month she was runner-up behind Priscah Jepleting.[14] In her last race of the year, she came fourth at the Saint Silvester Road Race.[15] She improved her 10K best to 31:52 minutes at the Great Manchester Run in May 2012, taking second place behind Linet Masai.[16]

Personal bests

Achievements
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Morocco
1998 World Junior Championships Annecy, France — 5000m DQ (IAAF rule 141)
Representing  Bahrain
2003 World Championships Paris, France 44th Marathon 2:38:39
2004 Olympic Games Athens, Greece — Marathon DNF
2005 World Championships Helsinki, Finland 41st Marathon 2:41:51
2006 Asian Games Doha, Qatar 4th 5000 m 15:45.43
2007 Pan Arab Games Cairo, Egypt 1st 10,000 m 32:29.53
2008 Olympic Games Beijing, PR China — Marathon DNF
Representing  Italy
2011 World Cross Country Championships Punta Umbría, Spain 34th Senior race (8 km) 27:03
2012 European Championships Helsinki, Finland 6th 5000 m 15:16.54 (PB)
— 10.000 m DNF
Olympic Games London. United Kingdom Heat 5000 metres 15:24.70
18th 10,000 metres 31:57.03

See also

References
  1. Pan Arab Games (GBR Athletics)
  2. Monti, Dave & Civai, Franco (2010-07-27). La Corsa Piu' Antica 11.2 km (M) and 5.6 km (F). Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
  3. Lefeuvre, Thierry (2010-07-23). Corrida Langueux 10 km. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-01-20.
  4. Corrida de Houilles 10 km. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2011-01-04). Retrieved 2011-01-20.
  5. Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2007-10-18). "World 1500m bronze medallist Korir takes unexpected defeat – World Military Games, Day 3". IAAF. Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
  6. Asian Crosscountry Championships. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2009-03-03). Retrieved on 2011-01-20.
  7. Results November 2007 - Pan Arab Games. Athletics Africa. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  8. "Ejjafini Nadia". IAAF. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  9. Sampaolo, Diego (2011-01-17). "Longosiwa and Birtukane take commanding victories in Vallagarina XC". IAAF. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  10. "2011 World XC - Senior Race - W Final". IAAF. Archived from the original on 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  11. Martin, Dave (2011-04-10). "Teenager Purdue upsets experienced rivals in Dublin 10Km". IAAF. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  12. Butcher, Pat (2011-10-30). "Kipsang tantalises with 2:03:42 World record assault in Frankfurt". IAAF. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  13. Valiente, Emeterio (2011-11-28). "Komon and Ejjafini succeed in Llodio XC". IAAF. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  14. Valiente, Emeterio (2011-12-18). "Limo and Jepleting secure a Kenyan double in Venta de Baños". IAAF. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  15. Biscayart, Eduardo (2012-01-01). "T. Bekele and Jeptoo beat the Sao Paulo New Year's Eve rain". IAAF. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  16. Wenig, Joerg (2012-05-20). "Gebrselassie takes another strong 10k victory in Manchester". IAAF. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
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