Mekhissi Benabbad ready for the steeplechase record – European Athletics (EAA) – News

France’s Mahiedine Mekhissi Benabbad consolidated his claim to be Europe’s top 3000m steeplechaser at the moment when he followed up his gold medal at the European Athletics Championships with a personal best of 8:02.52 at the Brussels Samsung Diamond League meeting a week ago.

The time was the fastest by a European this year and he is now second only to his compatriot Bouabdellah Tahri in the European all-time rankings. He carried his good form to Split and finished third at the IAAF Continental Cup on Sunday.

In an interview with the French athletics federation web site, www.athle.com, Mekhissi Benabbad talks about his recent run in Brussels and how he can beat Tahri’s mark.

Q) Mahiedine, you beat your personal best in Brussels but just missed out on the European record (8:01.18). What are your thoughts?

A) I'm glad that I won and I beat my personal record so I am 100 per cent satisfied with my race but I’m also a little frustrated at being little more than a second outside the European record. I was on target up to 200m to go, but I paid for my fast first part of the race. I planned to go through the first kilometre in 2:41 but I went past in 2:37, that’s where the European record disappeared. With a slightly slower pace, I think the European record would have fallen.

Q) You been predicting that you would run a time close to eight minutes for a long time?

A) Since my world record in the 2000m steeplechase in 5'10 (note: 5:10.68 on June 30 in Reims), I knew I had it in my legs. I knew I could run faster than my previous best 8:06, I was better than that but it also depended not only on me but also the pacemakers. I want to thank them and the (Brussels) organizer Wilfried Meert, who trusted me. It was he who brought in Paul Koech to push me. This was my first really big performance.

Q) The conditions were not ideal either?

A) It was raining and cold but the more I run the 3000m steeplechase, the more I learn. I realized I should not go too fast in the first mile and that I had to take over the running from the pacemakers at 2000m.

Q) A week earlier, you had struggled at the Samsung Diamond League meeting in Zurich. What is making the difference between these two races?

A) In Zurich, it was not me running, but it did me good and motivated me to do better. After Barcelona, I was really tired. I lost interest. This race in Switzerland hurt me, the Kenyans had fun with me. They were all surprised to see me finish eighth and, after I finished, they came and asked me what had happened. But I then ran a 1500m in Lille (finishing third in 3:36.18 at the European Athletics Premium Meeting in Villeneuve d’Ascq on August 24) and that showed that I was in shape.

Q) How will you approach your final race of the season in Annecy?

A) The DécaNation (on September 11) is an opportunity to perform in front of the French public for the last time this summer. I am excited about it and would like to finish the season on a good note.