Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad
Encyclopedia
Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (born March 15, 1985) is French
track and field
athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is of Algeria
n origin.
He made his first appearances as a junior athlete in 2004, running at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, where he was 61st in the junior race, and at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
where he competed in the heats of the 3000 m steeplechase. He ran in the 1500 metres
at the 2006 European Cup
and he was eighth overall. Mekhissi-Benabbad represented France at the 2006 IAAF World Cup
, but only managed eighth in the 1500 m event.
He beat all opposition at the 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
to win the steeplechase gold medal
. He competed at his first major senior event later that year – the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
. However, he was knocked out in the heats stage of the steeplechase competition. He made significant progression in 2008, knocking seconds off his personal best at the 2008 Summer Olympics
to win the Olympic silver medal
behind Brimin Kipruto
. He improved further at the 2008 Weltklasse Zürich
meeting, finishing behind Paul Kipsiele Koech
but taking second place in a personal best time of 8:08.95, making him the fourth fastest steeplechaser that year.
He opened 2009 with an appearance over 3000 metres
at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix
, where he registered a personal best of 7:53.50. Another best came in the steeplechase at the FBK Games in Hengelo
, again behind Kipruto, as he took second place in 8:06:98. Mekhissi-Benabbad took a prominent IAAF Golden League
circuit win at the Meeting Areva with a time of 8:13.23, and he was selected for the 2009 World Championships
. He was seen as a possible medallist but he failed to complete his heat after suffering an injury in the last lap of the race.
He took part in the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships
, his first major indoor competition, and he reached the final of the 1500 m and finished in eighth with a time of 3:45.22. At the beginning of the outdoor season, 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
. Competing on the French Alma Athlé Tour, he beat Bouabdellah Tahri's world best in the 2000 m steeplechase – who himself had beaten Julius Kariuki
's 20-year-old record five days earlier. Mekhissi-Benabbad's run of 5:10.68 knocked nearly three seconds of the old mark.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n origin.
He made his first appearances as a junior athlete in 2004, running at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
, where he was 61st in the junior race, and at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics was the 2004 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Grosseto in Italy.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:-References:*. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-06-06....
where he competed in the heats of the 3000 m steeplechase. He ran in the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
at the 2006 European Cup
European Cup (athletics)
The European Cup is a now defunct athletics competition, replaced by the European Team Championships from 2009 onwards. The Europa Cup saw most of the major nations of Europe compete. Originally known as the Bruno Zauli Cup, it first took place in Stuttgart and Kassel , Germany in 1965...
and he was eighth overall. Mekhissi-Benabbad represented France at the 2006 IAAF World Cup
2006 IAAF World Cup
The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece....
, but only managed eighth in the 1500 m event.
He beat all opposition at the 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
The 6th European Athletics U23 Championships was held between 12 and 15 July 2007 in the Gyulai István Athletic Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary.- Men :- Women :-Medal table:-References:General*-External links:**...
to win the steeplechase gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
. He competed at his first major senior event later that year – the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
. However, he was knocked out in the heats stage of the steeplechase competition. He made significant progression in 2008, knocking seconds off his personal best at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
to win the Olympic silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
behind Brimin Kipruto
Brimin Kipruto
Brimin Kipruto is a Kenyan middle distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He was born in Korkitony, Keiyo District...
. He improved further at the 2008 Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich is an annual track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the first large-scale international athletics events , it is sometimes referred to as the one day...
meeting, finishing behind Paul Kipsiele Koech
Paul Kipsiele Koech
Paul Kipsiele Koech is a Kenyan runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He won the 2004 Olympic bronze medal in this event....
but taking second place in a personal best time of 8:08.95, making him the fourth fastest steeplechaser that year.
He opened 2009 with an appearance over 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix
Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix
The Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix is an annual athletics event at the Qatar SC Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It was first organized in 1997.-Men:-Women:...
, where he registered a personal best of 7:53.50. Another best came in the steeplechase at the FBK Games in Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
, again behind Kipruto, as he took second place in 8:06:98. Mekhissi-Benabbad took a prominent IAAF Golden League
IAAF Golden League
The IAAF Golden League was an annual series of track and field meetings organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations...
circuit win at the Meeting Areva with a time of 8:13.23, and he was selected for the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
. He was seen as a possible medallist but he failed to complete his heat after suffering an injury in the last lap of the race.
He took part in the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics was held between 12 and 14 March at the ASPIRE Dome in Doha, Qatar. The championships was the first of six IAAF World Athletics Series events to take place in 2010.-Bidding and organisation:...
, his first major indoor competition, and he reached the final of the 1500 m and finished in eighth with a time of 3:45.22. At the beginning of the outdoor season, he scored a steeplechase win in 8:08.82 over Ezekiel Kemboi
Ezekiel Kemboi
Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is a Kenyan athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships and the 2011 World Championships. He became African Junior Champion in 2001 and came to prominence with a silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games...
and Richard Mateelong
Richard Mateelong
Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metre steeplechase. He won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and he has two World Championship medals in the discipline.-Career:He was born in Lenape village, near Narok town in 1983. He...
at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat
Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat
The Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat is an annual track and field competition at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco as part of the IAAF World Challenge Meetings. It was first organized in 2008. Its name honours Mohammed VI of Morocco, the present king of...
. Competing on the French Alma Athlé Tour, he beat Bouabdellah Tahri's world best in the 2000 m steeplechase – who himself had beaten Julius Kariuki
Julius Kariuki
Julius Kariuki was the winner of the 3,000 m steeplechase at the 1988 Summer Olympics.Born in Nyahururu, Kenya, Kariuki's athletic career started slowly...
's 20-year-old record five days earlier. Mekhissi-Benabbad's run of 5:10.68 knocked nearly three seconds of the old mark.
Personal bests
| Event | Time (sec Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 metres | 2:17.14 | Tomblaine Tomblaine Tomblaine is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... , France |
26 June 2009 |
| 1500 metres 1500 metres The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could... |
3:35.06 | Rabat Rabat Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000... , Morocco |
23 May 2009 |
| 3000 metres 3000 metres The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and... |
7:53.50 | Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... , Qatar |
8 May 2009 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase | 8:02.09 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... , France |
8 July 2011 |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | World Cross Country Championships 2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 32nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 19-20 March 2004 in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :... |
Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium |
61st | Junior race | |
| World Junior Championships 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics was the 2004 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Grosseto in Italy.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:-References:*. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-06-06.... |
Grosseto Grosseto Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river.... , Italy |
10th (heats) | 3000 m steeple | ||
| 2006 | European Cup | Malaga Málaga Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe... , Spain |
8th | 1500 m | |
| IAAF World Cup 2006 IAAF World Cup The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.... |
Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece |
8th | 1500 m | ||
| 2007 | European Athletics U23 Championships 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships The 6th European Athletics U23 Championships was held between 12 and 15 July 2007 in the Gyulai István Athletic Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary.- Men :- Women :-Medal table:-References:General*-External links:**... |
Debrecen Debrecen Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :... , Hungary |
1st | 3000 m steeple | |
| World Championships 2007 World Championships in Athletics The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
6th (heats) | 3000 m steeple | ||
| 2008 | Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
2nd | 3000 m steeple | |
| 2009 | World Championships 2009 World Championships in Athletics The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate.... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany |
— | 3000 m steeple 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase The Men's 3.000 metres Steeplechase at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 16 and August 18... |
DNF |
| 2010 | World Indoor Championships 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics was held between 12 and 14 March at the ASPIRE Dome in Doha, Qatar. The championships was the first of six IAAF World Athletics Series events to take place in 2010.-Bidding and organisation:... |
Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... , Qatar |
8th | 1500 m 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 1500 metres The men's 1500 metres at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships was held at the ASPIRE Dome on 12 and 13 March.-Medalists:-Records:-Qualification standards:-Schedule:-Heats:... |
|
| European Championships 2010 European Championships in Athletics The 2010 European Athletics Championships were the 20th edition of the European Athletics Championships, organised under the supervision of the European Athletic Association. They were held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain from 27 July to 1 August 2010... |
Barcelona, Spain | 1st | 3000 m steeple | 8:07.87 2010 European Athletics Championships – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2010 European Athletics Championships was held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on 30 July and 1 August.Frenchmen Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad and Bouabdellah Tahri took the gold and silver medals, respectively... |
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