The three-time Olympic medalist Mahiedine Mekhissi will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics (July 23-August 8) after missing his last opportunity to clinch the minimum over 3000 m steeplechase by retiring Tuesday at the meeting in Castellon (Spain).
The deadline for completing the qualifying time (8 min 22 sec) is midnight tonight.
The Frenchman (36), who was playing his first 3000m steeplechase since Euro 2018, was very quickly dropped out, unable to keep up, and preferred to stop shortly before the halfway point.
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Mekhissi, who was looking for a 4th participation in the Games, had registered in extremis for this Spanish meeting after withdrawing from the French Championships due to a contracture in a calf, last weekend in Angers .
He had already missed the Doha Worlds in 2019 to have his Achilles tendon operated on for a second time.
One of the most beautiful achievements of the French athlete
Mekhissi has one of the finest achievements in French athletics and has been one of the few to be able to disrupt Kenyan hegemony over the 3000m steeplechase in recent years. In addition to his three medals at the Olympics (silver in 2008 and 2012, bronze in 2016), the rider from Reims won two podiums at the World Championships (3rd in 2011 and 2013) and five European champion titles (four over 3000 m steeplechase in 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018, one in 1,500 m in 2014).