Soufiane El Bakkali Aims for a Third World Title in Tokyo 3000m Steeplechase
One year after his second Olympic crown in Paris, double world champion Soufiane El Bakkali will line up on Monday (1:55 p.m.) in Tokyo with his sights set on a third world title in the 3000m steeplechase. A victory would cement his place among the legends of Moroccan and global athletics.
The 29-year-old will take to the starting line alongside compatriot Salaheddine Ben Yazide. Both men qualified comfortably for the final on Saturday. El Bakkali dominated the third heat in 8:26.99, the fastest time across all heats, finishing ahead of Ethiopian rival Lamecha Girma (8:27.79) and American Daniel Michalski (8:28.76). Ben Yazide, meanwhile, produced a fine performance to win the second heat in 8:27.21, edging New Zealander Geordie Beamish (8:27.23) and Ethiopian Samuel Firewu (8:27.54).
The final is expected to be a fierce battle between El Bakkali and Girma, who has been runner-up at the World Championships in 2019, 2022, and 2023, as well as silver medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Ethiopian, now 24, has often been denied gold by El Bakkali and will be racing with revenge in mind. Girma is the current world record holder, having set a blistering 7:52.11 at the Paris Diamond League in June 2023, breaking the long-standing record held by Saif Saaeed Shaheen since 2004. He also owns the world indoor record over 3000m, clocked in February 2023 at the Meeting Hauts-de-France.
Despite his strong showing in the heats, El Bakkali stressed that the real race is yet to come. “The most important thing was to save energy for the final. With my coach, we planned to gradually control the pace. Despite a few falls in the pack, I was able to stay focused and move through without problems,” he explained after qualifying.
After a disappointing 12th place in the 1500m at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on August 16, the Moroccan champion quickly turned the page and refocused on his favorite distance, where he remains the undisputed world number one. El Bakkali has been undefeated in the steeplechase since September 2021, ending Kenya’s long-standing dominance in the event. His 2022 world title in Eugene broke a streak of seven consecutive Kenyan world titles, including two by Conseslus Kipruto.
Historically, Ezekiel Kemboi remains the most decorated athlete in the event with four world golds and three silvers, followed by Moses Kiptanui (3 gold, 1 silver) and Kipruto (2 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze). With two golds, one silver, and one bronze already, El Bakkali now has a golden opportunity to move up the all-time rankings.
The Fes native currently holds the fastest time in the world this year, an 8:00.70 set at the Mohammed VI International Meeting in May. In Tokyo, the stage of his first Olympic triumph at the 2020 Games, everything points toward another milestone performance. Supported by his 22-year-old teammate Ben Yazide, El Bakkali will look to bring Morocco its first medal at these World Championships and reinforce the nation’s growing dominance in the steeplechase.
Editorial team/le7tv (MAP)
