Salameh Al Aqra

About

Salameh Al Aqra is Jordan's greatest endurance running legend and one of the most celebrated desert ultrarunners in history. He grew up in Jordan running in the desert from the age of 12, eventually becoming the face of ultra-distance running in his country. His defining achievement came at the 2012 Marathon des Sables, where — on his seventh attempt at the race — he finally claimed overall victory, completing the six-stage, 250km Moroccan Sahara race in a course record time of 19 hours and 59 minutes, making him the only person ever to finish under 20 hours. A multiple-time champion at the Austria Ultramarathon and a fixture at the Marathon des Sables for over a decade — appearing at the 2015 race for his 10th time — he is known for his aggressive opening-stage pace and extraordinary multi-day desert survival skills. He has never lost a stage at the Ultra X Jordan race, where he won the crown six consecutive times, and is a three-time top-10 finisher at the Jordan Desert Cup. He competed as recently as 2025 at the Himam Trail in Oman, and remains a revered ambassador for trail running across the Arab world.

Notable Wins

• — Marathon des Sables 2012 (CR
• — 19:59)
• — Multiple Austria Ultramarathon titles
• — Ultra X Jordan ×6 (never lost a stage)

Race History