Veteran Moroccan runner Soufiane El Bakkali proved his readiness early for the new athletics season, producing the best start at the Doha meeting, the first meeting of the 2019 Diamond League season.
El Bakkali won the men’s 3000m steeplechase at the Doha meeting for the first time, getting the better of a strong Kenyan contingent in the steeplechase field, moving up from eleventh place at full speed before the final 1,000m to take first place in the last 100m.
The 2017 world championship runner-up produced the best mark in the world and his best personal time of the season, covering the race in 8:07.22, ahead of American Hillary Bor, who finished second in 8:08.41, while Kenya’s Leonard Bett came third in 8:08.61.
El Bakkali’s first personal best of 7:58.15 was set at the Monaco Diamond League meeting in July of last year, and he currently sits top of the IAAF’s world rankings with 1,358 points.
El Bakkali said in press remarks, with great happiness: I was optimistic about this meeting, and thank God I achieved first place after a difficult and very exciting race, so I am very happy, especially since the win came with a new personal best.
El Bakkali added: This is the first race I have run this year, and honestly I couldn’t keep up with the pace of the race at the start, especially since I was suffering from stomach pains that affected my level, but in the end, in the final metres, I settled the win by sprinting at full speed to take first place.
The Moroccan runner thanked the Moroccan fans among the community in Qatar who made a point of supporting him strongly, dedicating his win at the start of the Diamond League season to them and to the whole Moroccan people, also praising the support he receives from the Moroccan Athletics Federation.
El Bakkali praised the outstanding Qatari organisation of the opening of the Diamond League, saying that holding this year’s Doha meeting at Khalifa Stadium, which will host the World Cup at the end of September, was a noteworthy thing, and that the atmosphere was extremely wonderful, indicating that the upcoming World Championships in Qatar will be excellent in every respect.
