The 2007 Malta Marathon will set a new participation record as more than 800 runners are expected to take part, among them 440 local runners.

The race is scheduled to be held today starting fromMdina and coming to an end at The Ferries in Sliema.

The leading runners in this year’s Malta Marathon are expected to be all from Morocco, a country with a very rich tradition in distance running. The Marathon should be a two-horse race between Banniz Youssef and Mohammed El Hattab. While the latter is an experienced Marathon runner having placed 10th in the 2002 London Marathon in a time of 2:11:50, the former who has a Half Marathon PB of 1:02.03 will be making his Marathon debut. Marchane Abdelkebir, the Sicily-based runner who won four past editions of the Malta Marathon and who also holds the record will be a special guest of the Organising Committee.

2006 marathon women’s winner Carmen Hili and Lisa Marie Bezzina, first in the half-marathon, are both expected to defend their titles. Carol Walsh, 12-time winner of the half-marathon, will also be there after missing last year’s event.

BMW are the main sponsors while San Michel, Powerade and Urban Jungle are the other official suppliers of the races.