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Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad

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Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad
Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad in 2012
Personal information
Born (1985-03-15) 15 March 1985 (age 39)
Reims, France
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight79 kg (174 lb)
Sport
CountryFrance
SportMiddle-distance running
Event(s)1000 metres, 1500 m, 3000 m, 2000 m steeplechase, 3000 m steeplechase
Retired2023
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
  • 1500 m: 3:33.12 (Tomblaine 2013)
  • 2000 m steeplechase: 5:10.68 WB (Reims 2010)
  • 3000 m steeplechase: 8:00.09 AR (Paris 2013)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  France
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing 3000 m st.
Silver medal – second place 2012 London 3000 m st.
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro 3000 m st.
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Daegu 3000 m st.
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Moscow 3000 m st.
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Barcelona 3000 m st.
Gold medal – first place 2012 Helsinki 3000 m st.
Gold medal – first place 2014 Zürich 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 2016 Amsterdam 3000 m st.
Gold medal – first place 2018 Berlin 3000 m st.
European Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Gothenburg 1500 m
Continental Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Split 3000 m st.
European U23 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Debrecen 3000 m st.

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (born 15 March 1985) is a retired French professional middle-distance runner of Algerian descent who mainly competed in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is the only man to win three Olympic steeplechase medals, claiming silver in 2008 and 2012 and bronze in 2016. He also won two bronze medals at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2011 and 2013. Mekhissi-Benabbad earned titles at five consecutive editions of the European Athletics Championships between 2010 and 2018 (including one 1500 metres title).

He has gained notoriety for pushing the event's mascot after winning the 3000 m steeplechase finals at the 2010 and 2012 European Championships.[1][2][3] Mekhissi-Benabbad is the European record holder for the 3000 m steeplechase, set in 2013, and also holds the world best in the 2000 m steeplechase, set in 2010.[4]

Running career

2004-2007

Mekhissi-Benabbad made his first appearances as a junior athlete in 2004, running at the 2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he was 61st in the junior race, and at the 2004 World Junior Championships where he was eliminated in the heats of the 3000 m steeplechase. He ran in the 1500 metres event at the 2006 European Cup, where he finished eighth. Mekhissi-Benabbad represented France at the 2006 IAAF World Cup, but only managed to finish eighth in the 1500 m event.

Mekhissi-Benabbad won the 3000 m steeplechase gold medal at the 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships. He competed in his first major senior event later that year – the 2007 World Championships - where he was eliminated in the heats of the 3000 m steeplechase competition.

2008

Mekhissi-Benabbad made significant progress in 2008, knocking seconds off his personal best at the 2008 Olympics to win the Olympic 3000 m steeplechase silver medal in a time of 8:10.49, only 15 hundredths of a second behind the gold medallist Brimin Kipruto. He became the first non-Kenyan in 24 years to finish first or second in the Olympic 3000 m steeplechase event. Coincidentally, the last non-Kenyan to do so was a Frenchman—Joseph Mahmoud—who won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Mekhissi-Benabbad improved further at the 2008 Weltklasse Zürich meeting, finishing behind Paul Kipsiele Koech in second place in a personal best time of 8:08.95,[5] making him the fourth fastest 3000 m steeplechaser that year.[6]

2009

Mekhissi-Benabbad opened the 2009 season with an appearance in the 3000 metres event at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix, where he registered a personal best of 7:53.50.[7] Another personal best came in the 3000 m steeplechase at the FBK Games in Hengelo, again behind Brimin Kipruto, as he took second place in 8:06:98.[8] Mekhissi-Benabbad secured a prominent 2009 IAAF Golden League race victory at the Meeting Areva in Paris with a time of 8:13.23.[9] He was selected to represent France at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, where he was seen as a possible medallist in the 3000 m steeplechase. But he failed to complete his heat in that event when he was forced to step off the track injured with just over a lap to go.[10]

2010

Mekhissi-Benabbad took part in the 2010 World Indoor Championships, his first major indoor competition, where he reached the final of the 1500 m and finished in eighth position with a time of 3:45.22. During the outdoor season of 2010, he scored a steeplechase win in 8:08.82 over Ezekiel Kemboi and Richard Mateelong at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat.[11] Competing in the Reims leg of the French Alma Athlé Tour on 30 June, he broke Bouabdellah Tahri's newly established world best of 5:13.47 (set only 5 days earlier on 25 June) in the 2000 m steeplechase. Mekhissi-Benabbad's new world best of 5:10.68 was almost 4 seconds faster than the mark of 5:14.43 set on 21 Aug 1990 by Julius Kariuki, the Kenyan who would hold the 2000 m steeplechase world best for almost 20 years until it was broken by Tahri.[12]

2012

Mekhissi-Benabbad won his second consecutive 3000 m steeplechase Olympic silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. In the final, with 200 m in the race remaining, Ezekiel Kemboi was in the lead, followed by Abel Kiprop Mutai in second place, Roba Gari in third place and Mekhissi-Benabbad in fourth place. Mekhissi-Benabbad then swept past both Gari and Mutai to finish second behind Kemboi. "I want to congratulate Ezekiel Kemboi because he won and it is not by chance because he won in 2004. ... He is stronger than me, but I do hope one day I can beat him," Mekhissi-Benabbad said right after the race.[13] Right after the race, Kemboi did the victory dance he had become known for. He and Mekhissi-Benabbad exchanged jerseys and the diminutive Kemboi leaped into the much larger Mekhissi-Benabbad's arms.

2013

Mekhissi-Benabbad (far left) at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow

On 6 July 2013, Mekhissi-Benabbad set a new 3000 m steeplechase European record of 8:00.09 in the race at the Meeting Areva held in the Stade de France. He beat the previous European record of 8:01.18 set in Berlin at the 2009 World Championships by his compatriot Bouabdellah Tahri. Mekhissi-Benabbad finished second in that Meeting Areva 3000 m steeplechase race, which was won by Ezekiel Kemboi in the world's best time of the year (7:59.03).[14]

Mekhissi-Benabbad won his second consecutive 3000 m steeplechase World Championships bronze medal at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow. With about 300 metres to go in the final, he passed Ezekiel Kemboi, then Paul Kipsiele Koech and became jointly in the lead with Conseslus Kipruto. Just after clearing the third-last hurdle in the final bend, Kemboi saw his chance and surged forward to pass both Mekhissi-Benabbad and Kipruto. From then on, Kemboi never relinquished his lead. Kipruto overtook Mekhissi-Benabbad at the start of the final straight and eventually finished second behind Kemboi. Right after the race, Mekhissi-Benabbad admitted that he was finding it hard to cope with the pressure. "In the French team I am under a lot of stress and pressure, but I have to deal with it the best I can. ... I had to settle for bronze again but it is never easy to win one. I am on the podium and that is what counts."[15]

2014

At the 2014 European Athletics Championships in Zürich, Mekhissi-Benabbad was disqualified after finishing first in the final of 3000 m steeplechase. The action was taken after he removed his shirt on the home-straight of the final lap in an act of celebration, and the Spanish team lodged an official protest for "unsporting behaviour". The 3000 m steeplechase gold medal was awarded to fellow French athlete Yoann Kowal, who had finished second in that race.[16] Mekhissi-Benabbad would win the 1500m title three days later.

2015

In early April 2015, Mekhissi-Benabbad underwent an operation on his right foot, which had been causing him pain, in a hospital in Qatar. As he needed several months to recover from his operation, he was forced to miss the 2015 summer athletics season, including the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.[17]

2016

Mekhissi-Benabbad won the bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympic 3000 m steeplechase final.[18] Having crossed the line in fourth place, he controversially filed a complaint against Ezekiel Kemboi who had finished third. Kemboi was judged to have committed a lane violation, resulting in his disqualification.[19]

Mascot abuse incidents

After winning the 3000 meter steeplechase final at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona, Mekhissi-Benabbad asked a mascot to kneel in front of him before he pushed it to the ground.[2]

On 1 July 2012, the Finnish newspaper Karjalainen reported an incident involving Mekhissi-Benabbad at the 2012 European Championships in Helsinki. After winning the 3000 m steeplechase final, Mekhissi-Benabbad walked over to the championship's mascot “Appy”, which was being worn by a 14-year-old girl, smacked a gift bag out of her hands and pushed her with both hands.[1] He was not fined and did not apologize regarding the incident.

Fight with Mehdi Baala

On 22 July 2011, immediately after the 1500 m race of the Monaco meeting of the IAAF Diamond League, Mekhissi-Benabbad and his fellow competitor and compatriot Mehdi Baala traded blows on the track. The French Athletics Federation handed Mekhissi-Benabbad and Baala a suspension of 10 months each—5 months suspended—from all European Athletics and IAAF track meets. Both were each fined 1500 euros and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. Mekhissi-Benabbad and Baala were nevertheless cleared to take part in the upcoming 2011 World Championships.[3][20][21]

Personal bests

Event Time (sec) Venue Date Notes
1000 metres 2:17.14 Tomblaine, France 26 June 2009
1500 metres 3:33.12 Tomblaine, France 2 July 2013
2000 metres steeplechase 5:10.68 WB Reims, France 30 June 2010 World best
3000 metres 7:44.98 Hengelo, Netherlands 30 May 2010
3000 metres steeplechase 8:00.09 Paris, France 6 July 2013 European record

Results in international competitions

Mekhissi-Benabbad at the 2013 French Athletics Championships in Paris
Representing  France
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2004 World Cross Country Championships Brussels, Belgium 61st Junior race 27:08
World Junior Championships Grosseto, Italy 29th (h) 3000 m steeple 9:09.53
2005 European U23 Championships Erfurt, Germany 13th (h) 3000 m steeple 8:49.95
2006 European Cup Málaga, Spain 8th 1500 m
IAAF World Cup Athens, Greece 8th 1500 m 3:55.89
2007 European U23 Championships Debrecen, Hungary 1st 3000 m steeple 8:33.91
World Championships Osaka, Japan 22nd (h) 3000 m steeple 8:33.11
2008 Olympic Games Beijing, China 2nd 3000 m steeple 8:10.49
DécaNation Paris, France 1st 3000 m steeple 8:53.71
2009 World Championships Berlin, Germany – (h) 3000 m steeple DNF
2010 World Indoor Championships Doha, Qatar 8th 1500 m 3:45.22
European Championships Barcelona, Spain 1st 3000 m steeple 8:07.87
IAAF Continental Cup Split, Croatia 3rd 3000 m steeple 8:09.96
DécaNation Annecy, France 1st 3000 m steeple 8:27.27
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 3rd 3000 m steeple 8:16.09
2012 European Championships Helsinki, Finland 1st 3000 m steeple 8:33.23
Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 2nd 3000 m steeple 8:19.08
2013 European Indoor Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 1st 1500 m 3:37.17
World Championships Moscow, Russia 3rd 3000 m steeple 8:07.86
2014 European Championships Zürich, Switzerland 1st 1500 m 3:45.60
DQ[22] 3000 m steeple 8:33.23
2016 European Championships Amsterdam, Netherlands 1st 3000 m steeple 8:25.63
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3rd 3000 m steeple 8:11.52
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 30th (h) 1500 m 3:46.17
4th 3000 m steeple 8:15.80
DécaNation Angers, France 1st 2000 m 5:22.85
2018 European Championships Berlin, Germany 1st 3000 m steeple 8:31.66

References

  1. ^ a b Estejuoksun voittaja sikaili EM-kisoissa. (in Finnish). Iltalehti. (2012-07-01). Retrieved on 2012-07-01.
  2. ^ a b "Unsporting: runner wins, then shoves mascot". The Age. July 3, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  3. ^ a b French runners trade blows on track Eurosport.com 22 July 2011
  4. ^ "Five-time European champion Mekhissi announces his retirement at the age of 37". European Athletics. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  5. ^ Turner, Chris (2008-08-29). Jelimo hones in on historic mark; Bolt electrifies in Zürich – ÅF Golden League. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-04-27.
  6. ^ 3000 Metres Steeplechase 2008. IAAF (2010-03-04). Retrieved on 2010-04-28.
  7. ^ Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix 2009. IAAF (2009-05-08). Retrieved on 2010-04-28.
  8. ^ van Hemert, Wim Four world leads in Hengelo – IAAF World Athletics Tour. IAAF (2009-06-01). Retrieved on 2010-04-28.
  9. ^ Turner, Chris (2009-07-17). Bolt beats rain again, 9.79sec into slight head wind in Paris – REPORT – ÅF Golden League. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-07-22.
  10. ^ Ramsak, Bob (2009-08-16). Event Report – Men's 3000m Steeplechase – Heats Archived 2012-03-25 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-17.
  11. ^ Benchrif, Mohammed (2010-06-07). Fraser as expected and surprise from Mekhissi in Rabat – IAAF World Challenge. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-06-07.
  12. ^ "Réunion de Reims : Mekhissi répond à Tahri". 1 July 2010.
  13. ^ "2012 Men's Olympic Steeplechase: Ezekiel Kemboi Wins Second Olympic Steeplechase Title - Is He The Greatest Steeplechaser In History?". LetsRun.com. August 5, 2012.
  14. ^ "Mekhissi a son record". L'Équipe. 6 July 2013.
  15. ^ "'I'm the king', says peerless Ezekiel Kemboi". Agence France Presse. 16 August 2013.
  16. ^ "European Championships: Athlete loses gold for removing shirt". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Athlétisme : Mekhissi forfait pour les Mondiaux en août". Le Monde. 8 Apr 2015.
  18. ^ Myerberg, Paul. "Bronze medalist Ezekiel Kemboi disqualified in steeplechase | USA Today". USA Today. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  19. ^ Koech, B. M. "Kemboi Disqualified | Athletes of Kenya". Archived from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  20. ^ Associated Press. "Brawling runners cleared for worlds". ESPN Olympic Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  21. ^ "French runners provisionally suspended after Monaco brawl". BBC. July 23, 2011.
  22. ^ "Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad stripped of steeplechase gold after stripping off at European Championship". 14 August 2014.
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