“I dedicate this feat to HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, and to the Moroccan people who believed in my abilities,” said the Moroccan athlete in a statement to the press after his victory.
He said that this gold medal is the result of work that has spanned several years, especially since the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in which he obtained the 4th position which strengthened his confidence of becoming an Olympic champion, adding that the efforts he made “were not in vain” and allowed him today to win the Olympic title, “which was not easy.”
Today’s race “was very difficult despite the absence of the former Olympic champion, because there were strong Ethiopian runners that I knew well,” he explained.
The Moroccan champion said that he was living under great pressure before the race, which pushed him to move away from social networks, especially since he received messages of encouragement from a large number of Moroccan citizens, who expressed their confidence in him to achieve the Olympic dream.
After stressing that he has received all the necessary support from his loved ones since childhood, he noted that all his efforts have resulted in winning the Olympic title in a difficult discipline that was previously dominated by Kenyan athletes.
El Bakkali also expressed his pride in the Moroccan runners who preceded him on the podiums because they were a source of inspiration for him, adding that he was in contact with several former Moroccan athletes who gave him valuable advice to win this race.
“I managed the race rationally, and now I have entered the history of the Olympic Games and I am happy with this title,” he said.
Regarding his ambitions, El Bakkali indicated that he will begin his participation in the 1,500m qualifiers with serenity, expressing his hope of reaching the final in the company of other young Moroccan athletes competing in this distance.
2024-09-18 19:52:15