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Rabat – Moroccan mechanical sports athlete Amine Echiguer continues to garner international acclaim as he remains at the forefront of mechanical sports across the globe.
In 2022, Echiguer became the first Moroccan to win the Afriquia Enduro Cup category during his participation in the Rally of Morocco.
While Echiguer was absent from the sports scene for a few months due to an injury, he came back strong in 2024, winning the eighth annual Carta Rallye held in Morocco between March 3 to March 9.
“I was the only Moroccan in this race… Everything went really well and I had no issues,” Echiguer told Morocco World News (MWN) in an interview.
His astounding victory saw him finish first, four hours ahead of the running contender. Echiguer said his latest win is even more valuable as he entered the competition with a small team of six crew members, racing against multi-million international teams.
Echiguer during a competition
“We are only three guys,” he said, adding: “I went to the race with a completely new mood, with no pressure… because I have a small, small team, only one mechanic and Miloud the driver.”
Unlike mainstream athletics like football or soccer, rally racing demands substantial financial investment, with expenses for equipment, training, and participation in races running into millions.
Modest beginnings
The 35-year-old father, who also works as a Supply Chain Director of a prominent company in Casablanca, was first introduced to mechanical sports in his early life through his family’s involvement in jet ski racing
His mother’s initiative in establishing a Jet Ski association in Morocco in 1998 paved the way for Echiguer and his siblings to immerse themselves in the world of motorsports from a young age.
However, his pursuit of education temporarily diverted his focus away from racing. He attended French schools in Rabat before pursuing engineering studies in Paris.
Despite the demands of his professional life, Echiguer reignited his passion for racing a decade ago.
Echiguer receiving the trophy for the 2024 Carta Rallye
He has since achieved notable success, including clinching the World Championship title in Rally Raid in 2022.
“I stopped everything for my school, for my high school and then for my engineering school and I come back and start again almost ten years ago now and start again to do races,” he said while reflecting on his career.
Looking ahead, Echiguer’s sights are set on the ultimate challenge: the Dakar Rally. Despite the formidable financial barriers, he remains resolute in his ambition to compete in the prestigious event and elevate Morocco’s status on the world stage.
Morocco should start taking mechanical sports seriously
But he lamented Moroccan sporting authorities’ apparent lack of interest in mechanical sports.
With football dominating the Moroccan sporting landscape, Echiguer is determined to elevate the profile of mechanical sports, particularly rally racing.
He believes that Morocco’s diverse terrain and favorable climate position it as an ideal destination for motorsports enthusiasts — and a potential breeding ground for motorsports champions.
“Morocco is really good in soccer, in athleticism, in many sports, but in mechanical sport, we don’t have many champions,” the champion lamented.
The nationwide unpopularity of mechanical sports has made it difficult for Echiguer to unlock much-need sponsorship deals from Morocco’s sports authorities. “The Ministry of Sport, when I send to them my sponsoring request and everything they answer that they have no plans for this kind of sport,” he explained.
Echiguer enthusiastically stressed the sports’ potential to further promote Morocco as a top-notch tourist destination. The sport is already drawing international athletes who come to Morocco every year to train, he noted, arguing that Morocco should capitalize on this growing popularity.
“Morocco is the best country for this sport,” he said, explaining that the country boasts different types of terrains and deserts ideal for practicing the sport.
