Anass Essayi has broken Morocco’s national record for the 3,000-meter indoor race, achieving a time of 7:32.45. This surpasses Hicham El Guerrouj’s long-standing record from 2003. Essayi also recently won the 1,500-meter race, ranking him second in the world for the season. Despite missing out on the Olympic finals last summer, he continues to compete against elite athletes.
Rabat – Anass Essayi has set a new milestone in Moroccan athletics by surpassing the 3,000-meter indoor national record at the French Athletics Meeting in Levin. Essayi finished the race with a time of 7 minutes, 32.45 seconds, thus breaking the previous record of 7:33.73 held by legendary runner Hicham El Guerrouj since 2003.
During this event, which was part of the Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meetings, Essayi placed fifth overall. Notably, this achievement follows his recent success in winning the 1,500-meter race at the Metz Meeting in a time of 3:33:55, positioning him second in the global rankings for the current season.
Hicham El Guerrouj, an Olympic champion, remains the fastest in the history of the 1,500-meter indoor event with a record of 3:31:81, achieved in Stuttgart in 1997. Essayi’s performance strengthens his status among elite middle-distance runners, particularly after narrowly missing a spot in the 1500-meter finals at the Paris Olympic Games last summer.
In the Levin race, Essayi competed against a field of top-tier athletes, including Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebreyot and Wali Getnet, who possesses the sixth-fastest time in history at 7:24.68. Other notable competitors were two-time world indoor champion Samuel Tefera and Norway’s Philipp Ingebrigtsen, brother of Olympic gold medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
Anass Essayi’s recent record-breaking performances highlight his significant progression as a middle-distance runner in Morocco. Specifically, his achievement in the 3,000-meter event not only shatters a long-standing record but also emphasizes his potential on the world stage. His consistent improvements, including a strong showing in the 1,500-meter race, position him as a formidable competitor moving forward.
Original Source: www.moroccoworldnews.com
