Moroccan athlete and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali celebrated on Sunday an extraordinary feat at the Mohammed VI International Athletics Meeting, as he achieved the World’s Best Performance (WBP) of the year in the 3000m steeplechase event.
El Bakkali finished the race in 7 minutes, 56 seconds, and 68 milliseconds, breaking the meeting record he set last year and becoming the eighth-best performer in history. He surpassed Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale and Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot.
“I can’t describe my happiness for achieving the meeting record, personal best, and world lead,” he said in an interview with Moroccan sports channel Arryadia TV following his victory, stressing that “the established plan worked well.”
“My aim was to break the world record but I got tired on the last lap. Now I will rest to get ready for my next competitions and especially for the World Championships where my aim is to keep my title,” El Bakalli added.
The tournament, which is the second stage of the renowned Diamond League, took place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat on Sunday.
The event was not the first time that the reigning Olympic and world champion demonstrated exceptional form and determination, achieving outstanding results in the process.
In July 2022, he was crowned world champion in the 3,000m steeplechase at the World Athletics Championship.
In addition, El Bakkali made history in 2021 after becoming the first Moroccan to win a gold medal in the 3,000m steeplechase race at the Olympics Games in Tokyo.
With his successive remarkable victories, El Bakkali has solidified his position as one of the finest athletes of his time, promising Moroccan fans that he would continue pushing the boundaries of his sport and achieve greater performances in upcoming tournaments.
