{"id":6263,"date":"2025-06-28T17:39:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T16:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/?p=6263"},"modified":"2025-06-28T17:39:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-28T16:39:20","slug":"sweat-willpower-and-a-dream-moroccos-muay-thai-team-trains-for-riyadh-at-el-jadida-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/sweat-willpower-and-a-dream-moroccos-muay-thai-team-trains-for-riyadh-at-el-jadida-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweat, Willpower, and a Dream: Morocco\u2019s Muay Thai Team Trains for Riyadh at El Jadida Camp"},"content":{"rendered":"

At a modest hotel in El Jadida, far from media lights and public fanfare, Morocco\u2019s national Muay Thai team is grinding in silence.<\/strong> Since June 24, the athletes have entered a closed training camp, preparing for the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games<\/strong>, scheduled for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Led by national technical director Lahcen Ouassou<\/strong>, alongside coaches Ahmed Mellahi<\/strong> and Abdelatif Bouakli<\/strong>, the camp runs until June 30. Its mission is clear: select and prepare the most promising athletes<\/strong> to represent Morocco in one of the year\u2019s biggest combat sports stages.<\/p>\n

A Sport in the Shadows, Athletes in the Spotlight<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While mainstream sports get the limelight, Muay Thai continues to grow quietly in Morocco\u2019s working-class neighborhoods. Its champions fight for more than titles \u2014 they fight for recognition.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yassine, 22<\/strong>, one of the camp\u2019s rising talents, says:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThis is our chance. We may not have big facilities or media coverage, but we have heart. And that\u2019s what we\u2019re putting into every punch.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A No-Nonsense Camp with Clear Objectives<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The training focuses on the official weight categories selected for the Islamic Games<\/strong> \u2014 six for men and six for women \u2014 in addition to disciplines like Wai Khru<\/strong> and Mae Muay<\/strong>.
Each day is split into:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n

    intense physical conditioning in the mornings,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    technical drills in the afternoons,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    and continuous evaluations of strength, skill, and mental readiness.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    This is no routine camp. It\u2019s a selection crucible<\/strong>, where performance, not reputation, determines the final roster.<\/p>\n

    More Than Training: A Mirror to Morocco\u2019s Sports System<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    This camp is also a litmus test<\/strong> for Morocco\u2019s approach to grassroots combat sports:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • \n

      Will the system recognize and support disciplines born in local gyms and neighborhoods?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Or will elite sports remain confined to the already privileged?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Muay Thai athletes represent a silent yet powerful voice in Moroccan sports<\/strong>, and this moment in El Jadida offers a glimpse into what\u2019s possible \u2014 if that voice is finally heard.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Towards Riyadh, But Eyes on a Bigger Goal<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      What\u2019s at stake isn\u2019t just medals. It\u2019s the hope of dozens of athletes who believe that dedication can outshine neglect<\/strong>, that dreams forged in sweat and struggle can stand on any podium.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      In the echo of every kick and block in El Jadida, a story unfolds \u2014 one of grit, pride, and national representation beyond the spotlight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      At a modest hotel in El Jadida, far from media lights and public fanfare, Morocco\u2019s national Muay Thai team is grinding in silence. Since June 24, the athletes have entered a closed training camp, preparing for the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, scheduled for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Led by national technical director Lahcen Ouassou, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,100],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6263","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kick-kickboxing-muay-thai","8":"category-muay-thai"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6263"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6263"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6265,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6263\/revisions\/6265"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}