RABAT, MOROCCO, May 31 — As is tradition at the annual Diamond League stop in Morocco, the steeplechase closes out the program, a showcase for the home country’s two-time Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali. And the fans at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium did not leave disappointed, thanks to a thrilling race from their local hero, who has now won five straight Diamond League steeples in Morocco.
The early pace was exceptionally quick, with Abderrafia Bouassel hitting 1000 meters in 2:37.03, well under 8:00 pace. El Bakkali and Kenyans Edmund Serem and Simon Koech were the only athletes willing to maintain contact. Last year’s surprise world champion Geordie Beamish, who out-sprinted El Bakkali in a tactical race in Tokyo, was at the back of the pack.
Koech took over just before 2000 (5:20.10) as the pace slowed slightly, allowing Germany’s Frederik Ruppert to close the gap. El Bakkali slipped past Koech into the lead at the top of the penultimate homestretch and launched his trademark powerful finishing surge. Ruppert, just as he did last year, closed well and was gaining ground on El Bakkali, but the Moroccan was not about to disappoint his fans. He crossed the line in a world-leading 7:57.25, not far off his PR 7:56.63 PR from this meet in ’23. Ruppert set a European record (7:57.80) for 2nd, followed by Koech (7:59.44 PR), marking only the third time three men broke 8:00 in the same race (joining Brussels 2001 and Monaco 2011).
“The crowd loves El Bakkali and playing that role of the enemy is special,” said Ruppert. “He’s very difficult to beat, but I don’t think it’s impossible. Geordie has shown it in Tokyo, but fast races make it a lot harder.”
Serem (8:01.61) also set a PR in 4th and Matthew Wilkinson ran 8:09.56 for 5th, moving to No. 7 on the U.S. all-time list. Beamish (8:16.80) was far back in 13th.
A month out from his 37th birthday, Joe Kovacs — who made his Diamond League debut in 2012 — dominated the shot put with a 74-1 (22.58) in the second round and had three other throws that would have been good enough for the win.
“It’s the time of year where you gotta trust yourself and trust the body. Everyone keeps telling me I’m a veteran in the sport, so I gotta start trusting it,” said Kovacs, who won world titles in 2015 and ’19 and has a résumé full of Olympic and world medals. “Even the throws I had today that weren’t over 22, they were good misses. They probably had the potential if I did connect them to be farther than I threw today. I love having good misses, because it’s a long season, especially to start the year that way.”
Three-time Olympic champion Ryan Crouser improved slightly over his effort the previous week in Xiamen, but was still a distant 2nd at 70-10 (21.59), just ahead of Jordan Geist at 70-9 (21.56) and Roger Steen at 70-7¼ (21.52), completing an American sweep of the first 4 places.
In the 200, Kenny Bednarek ran a strong curve and built an insurmountable lead down the stretch to win in 19.69. Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo (19.96) was best of the rest after shutting down 10 meters before the line.
“As soon as the gun went off and I started breaking the stagger instantly I said, ‘Oh s–t,’” said Bednarek, the two-time Olympic silver medalist in the event, who wasn’t far off his 19.57 PR. “This is the fastest I’ve opened up in the 200 and it’s a good sign for the rest of the year.… I definitely have a PB coming. I’m a lot stronger than I was last year, I’m a lot smarter than I was last year and this a good sign for the rest of the season.”
In a crowded 18-man 1500 field, Yared Nuguse grabbed the lead when the last rabbit dropped off at 1000, with Azzedine Habz and world champion Isaac Nader on his heels. The American’s lead shrunk down the final 100, but a dramatic lean at the finish was enough to earn his fifth career Diamond League win, holding off Nader, 3:30.35 to 3:30.43, with Habz (3:30.68) in 3rd. Vincent Ciattei finished 4th in a PR 3:30.90, moving to =No. 11 on the U.S. all-time list.
“I knew it was going to be hard and I really wanted to start my outdoor season right, so it felt good to come away with the win and set the tone for the rest of this year,” said Nuguse, who won Olympic bronze in ’24 but was unable to make the U.S. team for the World Championships last season. “I wanted to hang back for a little if I could and then just really make it hurt the last 500, continuously pushing, pushing, pushing and not waiting until someone was right next to me to start kicking. I was able to do exactly that.”
Jacory Patterson won the Rabat 400 for the second year in a row, clocking 44.11 ahead of the fast-closing Matthew Hudson-Smith (44.25). Khaleb McRae (44.40) and Zakithi Nene (44.41) took 3rd and 4th.
Olympic champion Quincy Hall was in the field, running his first race in nearly a year after a hamstring injury derailed his ’25 season after he won the Rome DL last June. Hall fell behind on the first curve and struggled home 8th in 45.54.
In the 800, Max Burgin boldly followed the rabbit and hit halfway in 50.0 and built a lead on the pack of nearly 10 meters down the final backstretch. The Brit powered home unchallenged in 1:42.98, clear of Olympic and world champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:43.56) and Slimane Moula (1:43.73).
Anderson Peters came alive in the fourth round of the javelin, reaching 282-5 (86.08). Rumesh Tharanga held on for 2nd with his opening-frame toss of 282-0 (85.97) and reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott took 3rd at 270-9 (82.52).
RABAT DL MEN’S RESULTS
200(0.4): 1. Kenny Bednarek (US) 19.69 (AL);
2. Letsile Tebogo (Bot) 19.96; 3. Sinesipho Dambile (SA) 20.03; 4. Cheickna Traore (CI) 20.15; 5. Andre De Grasse (Can) 20.16; 6. Yassine Hssine (Mor) 20.18 NR; 7. Courtney Lindsey (US) 20.21.
400: 1. Jacory Patterson (US) 44.11; 2. Matthew Hudson-Smith (GB) 44.25; 3. Khaleb McRae (US) 44.40; 4. Zakithi Nene (SA) 44.41; 5. Bayapo Ndori (Bot) 44.68; 6. Attila Molnár (Hun) 44.73; 7. Mohamed Yassine Zerhoum (Mor) 45.44; 8. Quincy Hall (US) 45.54.
800: 1. Max Burgin (GB) 1:42.98; 2. Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Ken) 1:43.56; 3. Slimane Moula (Alg) 1:43.73; 4. Gabriel Tual (Fra) 1:44.03; 5. Donavan Brazier (US) 1:44.03; 6. Eliott Crestan (Bel) 1:44.08; 7. Kethobogile Haingura (Bot) 1:44.21;… rabbit—Patryk Sieradzki (Pol) (49.78).
1500: 1. Yared Nuguse (US) 3:30.35 (AL) (2:50.57);
2. Isaac Nader (Por) 3:30.43; 3. Azeddine Habz (Fra) 3:30.68; 4. Vincent Ciattei (US) 3:30.90 PR; 5. Tshepo Tshite (SA) 3:31.53; 6. Andrew Coscoran (Ire) 3:31.65; 7. Reynold Kipkorir (Ken) 3:32.00.
St: 1. Soufiane El Bakkali (Mor) 7:57.25 (WL) (non-Kenyan: x, 4 W);
2. Frederik Ruppert (Ger) 7:57.80 NR (non-Kenyan: 4, 5 W);
3. Simon Koech (Ken) 7:59.44 PR (5:20.10); 4. Edmund Serem (Ken) 8:01.61 PR;
5. Matthew Wilkinson (US) 8:09.56 PR (AL) (7, x A);
6. Salaheddine Ben Yazide (Mor) 8:10.64; 7. Mohammed Tindoufti (Mor) 8:10.77; 8. Daniel Arce (Spa) 8:11.42; 9. Mostafa El Faid (Mor) 8:11.64 PR; 10. Nicolas Daru (Fra) 8:11.81; 11. Abraham Kibiwott (Ken) 8:12.39; 12. Samuel Firewu (Eth) 8:12.55.
SP: 1. Joe Kovacs (US) 74-1 (22.58) (70-9, 74-1, 70-9¼, 71-4¾, 72-¼, 72-¾) (21.56, 22.58, 21.57, 21.76, 21.95, 21.96);
2. Ryan Crouser (US) 70-10 (21.59; 4. Roger Steen (US) 70-7¼ (21.52); 5. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 70-3½ (21.42); 6. Tom Walsh (NZ) 69-8¼ (21.24); 7. Rajindra Campbell (Jam) 69-½ (21.04); 8. Tripp Piperi (US) 68-10 (20.98).
JT: 1. Anderson Peters (Grn) 282-5 (86.08); 2. Rumesh Tharanga (SrL) 282-0 (85.97); 3. Keshorn Walcott (Tri) 270-9 (82.52); 4. Thomas Röhler (Ger) 267-9 (81.61); 5. Julius Yego (Ken) 264-5 (80.59); 6. Curtis Thompson (US) 255-6 (77.88).
