“The Royal message of congratulations honored me and gave me great pleasure. It will encourage me to make more efforts to hoist the national colors high in the next competitions,” he said on his arrival on Friday. , at Rabat-Salé airport.
The Moroccan champion (26) has indicated that his ambition will not stop at the gold medals of the Tokyo Olympics and the Eugene Worlds, noting that he aspires to win new titles, especially during the Olympics. of Paris in 2024.
He also said his goal is to break the 3,000m steeplechase world record.
“I have progressed a lot since my debut. I finished 4th at the Rio Olympics in 2016, won silver at the London-2017 worlds and bronze at Doha-2019”, he explained, noting that he shares this victory with the Moroccan people, his parents, coach and the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation (FRMA).
For his part, his trainer Karim Tlemsani indicated that this world title is “amply deserved”.
“This gold medal is the crowning achievement of several years of effort and sacrifice. The beginnings of this success date back to the Rio 2016 Olympics,” he explained, noting that the Moroccan Olympic champion is the No. 1 worldwide for the 5th time.
“Alongside Soufiane, we will continue the work in order to achieve better results, in particular at the Paris Olympics”, noted Mr. Tlemsani, noting that “beating the world record for the distance is also part of the objectives set”.
A reception was offered by the FRMA, at its headquarters, in honor of the Moroccan world and Olympic champion, marked by the presence, in particular, of the president of the federal body, Mr. Abdeslam Ahizoune, of members of the selection National Athletics Committee and the National Technical Commission.
In a speech for the occasion, Mr. Ahizoune considered that the coronation of El Bakkali and the efforts made by his trainer constitute a “source of pride for Moroccan athletics”.
“We are very honored by the message of congratulations addressed to El Bakkali, by HM King Mohammed VI, who continues to surround sport in general, and athletics and Moroccan sportsmen in particular, with His high solicitude”, underlined the president of the FRMA, believing that this world title will inspire young Moroccan athletes.
After her gold medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, Soufiane El Bakkali achieved the feat of climbing to the top step of the podium at the Eugene Worlds.
El Bakkali won the gold medal last Tuesday in 8min 25sec 13/100th, ahead of the Ethiopian Lamecha Girma, Olympic and world vice-champion (8:26.01). Bronze went to reigning Kenyan world champion Conseslus Kipruto (8:27.92).
The Moroccan athlete had sent a strong signal to his competitors by signing the best world performance of the year in the distance at the Mohammed VI international meeting in Rabat in early June (7:58.28).