The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has recently appointed Morocco’s Nezha Bidouane, double world champion in the 400m hurdles, as ambassador for Africa of the Continental Cup, to take place in Ostrava (Czech Republic) on September 8-9, 2018, said a statement by the Royal Moroccan Federation of Sport for All (FRMSPT).

The IAAF Continental Cup is an international athletics competition which comprises track and field events. It is formerly known as the IAAF World Cup or the Athletics World Cup. It is the only world cup contested by teams representing entire continents, rather than just those of individual countries.

To promote this quadrennial competition, the IAAF has nominated four ambassador’s captains of the continental selections, namely British Colin Jackson (double world champion in the 110m hurdles) for Europe, American Mike Powell (double world champion and current world record holder in the long jump) for the Americas, Australian Jana Pittman (double 400m hurdles world champion) for Asia-Oceania, and Moroccan Nezha Bidouane for Africa, the same source added.

Born in September 1969, Bidouane won the 400m hurdles gold medal at the 1997 World Championships in Athens. In 1999 she won the silver medal at the World Championships in an African record time of 52.90 seconds.

In 2000, she won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games.

Bidouane also oversees the annual Women’s Race to Victory 8 km road race in Rabat.