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Five-time European champion Mahiedine Mekhissi announces his retirement at the age of 37

One of the greatest European steeplechasers in history Mahiedine Mekhissi from France has announced his retirement from athletics at the age of 37.

In an illustrious decade-long spell, Mekhissi won medals at three successive Olympic Games between 2008 and 2016 and titles at five consecutive editions of the European Athletics Championships between 2010 and 2018. 

But in recent years, Mekhissi has struggled with leg and foot injuries and hasn’t completed a 3000m steeplechase since winning gold for the fourth time at the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin. 

“I have stopped because the will is no longer there. I no longer have the desire to train. I felt that this was the right moment to stop. Put simply, if I ran, it would be to become world champion, Olympic champion, to win medals and break records. 

“To achieve those objectives, if you don’t have the will, there is no point in continuing. The desire is no longer there and I wanted to move on, to do something else with my life,” said Mekhissi as quoted by L’Equipe.

But despite being primarily renowned for his exploits in major championships, Mekhissi has also held the European record in the 3000m steeplechase for just over nine years, clocking 8:00.09 on home soil in the Paris Diamond League in 2013. 

The mercurial Frenchman’s career was not without its controversies either. Mekhissi was famously disqualified at the 2014 European Athletics Championships after winning the 3000m steeplechase for taking off his vest and waving it in celebration as he came down the home straight for the last time. 

But Mekhissi kept his win streak at the European Athletics Championships intact by returning to win a tactical and scrappy 1500m final on the last day of the championships with a devastating sprint. Even though he eased off in the last 20 metres, his last lap was still timed at 52.17.

"This is a discipline which I have never contested in a championships before and I won it with style," said Mekhissi, who is still the last non-Ingebrigtsen to win the 1500m title at the European Athletics Championships.

Aside from his Olympic and European triumphs, Mekhissi also won bronze medals in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2011 and 2013 World Athletics Championships. 

He also demonstrated his versatility by winning the 1500m title at the 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Gothenburg while his last medal came on the mud in Tilburg in 2018, helping France to team silver in the mixed relay at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships.

Mekhissi's ten fastest 3000m steeplechase races

8:00.09 Paris (2013)

8:02.09 Paris (2011)

8:02.52 Brussels (2010)

8:03.23 Brussels (2014)

8:06.60 Eugene (2013)

8:06.98 Hengelo (2009)

8:07.45 Sotteville (2014)

8:07.86 World Championships, Moscow (2013)

8:07.87 European Championships, Barcelona (2010)

8:08.15 Brussels (2016).