Moroccan Runner El Bakkali Makes History with Second Olympic Steeplechase Gold

Several Moroccan celebrities congratulated Soufiane El Bakkali for his historic victory on Wednesday at the Paris Olympic Games. Singer Latifa Raafat posted a photo of the Moroccan runner on her Instagram account with the following caption: "Your tears are precious, Soufiane, you have brought us the most beautiful of gifts."

Actor Rabie Kati was not indifferent to El Bakkali’s exploit. In a post, he thanked the Moroccan athlete for winning the first gold medal for Morocco at the Paris Olympics. "Finally, the gold! El Bakkali saves the honor of Moroccan sports... The royal sports federations under the spotlight," he wrote.

"A thousand congratulations to the champion Soufiane El Bakkali for this grandiose exploit. You have honored Morocco and filled our hearts with joy with this great achievement," rejoiced the artist Saad Lamjarred in a post. With this victory, the native of Fez also broke the record of the Ethiopian Lamecha Girma (7:52:11), set in Paris on June 9 of last year.

Soufiane El Bakkali had won gold at the Tokyo 2021 Games, becoming at the time the first non-Kenyan runner to win the Olympic title in the 3000m steeplechase since 1980. By retaining his title in Paris, he becomes the first Moroccan runner to win gold in two consecutive Olympic Games.