Rabat 2026: Records fall, stars rise at inaugural Grand Prix

Three days of action-packed competition highlighted by several regional and one world record marked the third World Para Athletics Grand Prix of the season in Rabat, Morocco. 

This was the first time the Moroccan capital hosted a World Para Athletics event, as Marrakech had been a regular stop in the WPA calendar in previous years. 

Brazil topped the medals table with 38 golds from their total of 57, followed by China with 14 first place podiums and hosts Morocco with eight gold medals.  

Record on debut

The debut Grand Prix witnessed big participation of 439 athletes (299 male and 140 female) from 57 nations. And the competition lived up to its expectation.

Big names made the mark while promising names also rose to the occasion.

Japan’s Yudai Shimazu set a new world record* of 14:03.45 on his way to win the men’s 5000m T13 on his Grand Prix debut. There were five other regional records, including one from a Brazilian athlete who claimed three gold medals in her first participation at a WPA GP in Africa.

Greetings from Rabat 🇲🇦

📸 Maroc Handisport#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/93vUR5UaRp

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) April 25, 2026

Brazil steal the show

Maria Clara Augusto Da Silva shone with golden treble for medal toppers Brazil. 

The women’s 400m T47 final was a repeat of the Paris 2024 showdown. Reigning Paralympic champion, Fernanda Yara Da Silva, however, had to settle for the silver ending second to Augusto Da Silva, the bronze medallist in Paris.

Augusto Da Silva also claimed gold medals in the women’s 100m and 200m T46/T47, finishing ahead of China’s Jie Shan in both the races - and setting a new Americas record in the 100m (14.63).

Meanwhile, two-time Paris Paralympic champion Jerusa Geber stood out with two gold medals in the women’s 100m T11 and 200m T11. It is the second time Geber competes in Morocco, three years after taking part in the WPA GP in Marrakech, and she ended in style. 

“It was the first event of the year with my guide Gabriel Garcia. There was a headwind and it was a bit cold, but despite that it was good start of the season," Geber said. "We have more events ahead this season and we will try to improve this mark."

There were several other top Brazilian athletes who stole the show in Rabat. 

Three-time Paralympic gold medallist, including Paris 2024 champion, Petrucio Ferreira dos Santos too lived up to his billing taking the men’s 100m T47 gold medal. 

Dos Santos finished 0.13 seconds ahead of home favourite Aymane El Haddaoui who managed the silver.  El Haddaoui, however, claimed the top of podium in the men’s 400m T47 in which he is the reigning Paralympic champion. 

“I’m on the right track for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. There are small details I’ll work on to achieve the results I’m aiming for. We’ve opted for quality over quantity in training. That’s helped me a lot. A body with less pain and better muscle balance leads to better results on the track,” said Ferreira dos Santos.

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African stars 

Among top African names, Tunisia’s eight-time Paralympic champion Raoua Tlili was the biggest star on the field, and she opened her campaign in Rabat with a gold in women’s discus throw F40/41. 

Tlili, a regular in Morocco having competed in Marrakech in the past, hurled the discus to a distance of 33.88m to take the gold ahead of local stars Hayat El Garaa (28.17) and Ibtissame El Garaa (26.89).

However, Tlili could not repeat the golden show in the women's shot put F41 finishing second behind China’s Nana Xie, who threw the shot 9.59m. The Tunisian great managed 9.48m. 

Paris 2024 bronze medallist Raja Jebali also delivered for Tunisia taking the gold in the women's shot put F40 final with a throw of 8.26m.

In the men’s events, Yassine Guenichi, a two-time world champion and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist, claimed the men’s shot put F36 gold throwing the shot put to 16.46m.

Colombia’s five-time Paralympic medallist and Paris 2024 champion Mauricio Valencia took a gold and a bronze in the men’s shot put and javelin F34, respectively. His teammate Jose Gregorio Lemos Rivas, a Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 champion, too topped the podium winning the men’s javelin F38 final.

You can relive all the action from the Rabat 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix on World Para Athletics social media channels.

Complete results are available here.

What next? 

Following a strong competition at the inaugural season in Rabat, the WPA Grand Prix will next move to Europe for the Nottwil GP from 21-23 May before returning to Africa again for the Tunis GP in June.

The all-women’s Olomouc 2026 will take place in July which also features the Tlaxcala GP end of the month. 

The 2026 GP season will culminate in Cali, Colombia with the final event in September.

*records pending ratification by World Para Athletics