Mehdi Baala (; born 17 August 1978 in

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) is a French middle-distance runner competing mainly in the

1500 metres The 1500 metres or 1500-metre run is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athletics since 1983. It is equivalent to 1.5 kilomet ...

event. Baala has won several major international championships medals in the 1500 metres event – an

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bronze, a World Championships silver, two European Championships golds and a European Indoor Championships bronze. Moreover, he has won several medals in the 1500 metres event of the

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, IAAF World Cup and the IAAF World Athletics Final. Baala is considered to be one of the best French middle-distance runners of all time. As of February 2024, he holds French national outdoor records for three distances (1000m: 2.13.96, 1500m: 3.28.98 and 2000m: 4.53.12; all of these were set from 2002 to 2005) and French national indoor records for three distances (800m, 1000m and the mile; all of these were set from 2003 to 2009). Baala won the silver medal at the 2003 World Championships in the 1500 metres event. At the 2007 World Championships in

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in 2007, he finished first in his 1500 metres semi-final heat but was disqualified for causing the fall of two other athletes. Baala finished fourth in the

final at the 2000 Olympics. At the

2008 Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fr ...

, Baala won the bronze medal for the

event. He had initially finished in fourth place in the final once again, but the initial winner Rashid Ramzi was stripped of his gold medal when he was found guilty of doping and hence Baala was elevated to receive the bronze medal. On 22 July 2011, immediately after the 1500m race of the

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meeting of the IAAF Diamond League, Baala and his fellow competitor and compatriot Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad traded blows on the track. The French Athletics Federation handed Baala and Mekhissi-Benabbad a suspension of 10 months each – 5 months suspended – from all European Athletics and IAAF track meets. Both were each fined 1500 euros and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. Baala and Mekhissi-Benabbad were nevertheless cleared to take part in the upcoming 2011 World Championships

Results in international competitions

Note: Only the position and time in the final are indicated, unless otherwise stated; if the athlete did not qualify for the final, the overall position and time in the first round heats or semifinals are indicated.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Baala, Medhi 1978 births Living people French male middle-distance runners Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for France Olympic bronze medalists for France French sportspeople of Algerian descent Athletes from Strasbourg World Athletics Championships medalists European Athletics Championships medalists Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) 21st-century French sportsmen French Athletics Championships winners 20th-century French sportsmen