El Bakkali clocks world-leading 7:57.25 as Bednarek, Burgin and Werro shine at Rabat Diamond League
Home favourite Soufiane El Bakkali thrilled the Moroccan crowd with a world-leading 7:57.25 in the men's 3000m steeplechase, highlighting an evening packed with fast times and meeting records at the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday. Kenny Bednarek became the first athlete to break 20 seconds in the meeting's history with a record-setting 19.69 in the men's 200m, while Max Burgin stormed to victory in the men's 800m and Audrey Werro shattered the women's 800m meeting record. Meeting records also fell in the men's shot put and women's discus, as Joe Kovacs and Valarie Allman delivered standout performances in the fourth Wanda Diamond League meeting of the 2026 season.
Men’s 3000m Steeplechase
Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali claimed his fifth consecutive victory in the 3000m steeplechase at the Diamond League meeting in Rabat, clocking a world-leading 7:57.25 in front of his home crowd. Germany’s Frederick Ruppert finished second in a European record of 7:57.80, becoming the first European to break 8 minutes, while Kenya’s Simon Kiprop Koech took third in 7:59.44 to break the eight-minute barrier for the first time.
Soufiane El Bakkali: “Attending the Rabat meeting on home soil is always special, and what made it even greater this year was the attendance of His Royal Highness Prince Moulay El Hassan. His presence was a big motivator for me, and I would like to thank him for being here. I would also like to dedicate this victory to His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The supporters were incredible as always, and I thank them for their encouragement. The race was not difficult because I prepared well for it. Achieving the world lead is also a great achievement, and I am very happy about it.”
Men’s 800m
Great Britain's Max Burgin pulled away from the field in the final straight to win the men’s 800m in a season’s best of 1:42.98. Olympic and world champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi finished second in 1:43.56, while Slimane Moula took third in 1:43.73. European champion Gabriel Tual of France placed a close fourth in 1:44.03, edging Donovan Brazier, who was credited with the same time.
Max Burgin: “It was an incredible race with a fantastic atmosphere. I wasn’t sure whether I was going to front-run the race, but with 200 metres to go the decision was made and I had to commit to it. I felt really strong and very happy with the result. I haven’t won a Diamond League race before, so this means a lot. The crowd was amazing, the weather was lovely, and the stadium created a fantastic setting. I have two major championships coming up, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games, and at some point I would also like to challenge the British record, which I hope is within reach.”
Men’s 200m
Two-time Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek won the men’s 200m in a meeting record of 19.69. The American became the first athlete to break the 20-second barrier in the history of the Rabat meeting and missed Gout Gout’s world-leading mark by just 0.02 seconds.
Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo finished second in 19.96, followed by South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile (20.03), Ivory Coast’s Cheikna Traoré (20.15) and Canada’s André De Grasse (20.16).
Kenny Bednarek: “I didn’t expect to run that fast, but I knew I had a sub-20 performance in me. Racing those 100m events in China felt easy, although I made a few mistakes along the way. I learned a lot from those races. I’ll be focusing on both the 100m and 200m this season. This is another stepping stone toward next year. Obviously, we have the Ultimate Championships coming up, and there will be fast times and great competition there. I enjoy competing against the best athletes in the world. I mean, I’m one of the best too, but I still love the challenge. This is the second time I’ve won here. It’s been three years since I last competed in Rabat, and I had almost forgotten what it was like. There are so many fans here, and I love both the city of Rabat and Morocco.”
Women’s 800m
Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, last year’s Diamond League champion, broke the 10-year-old meeting record in the women’s 800m with a winning time of 1:56.56. Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma finished second in 1:57.24, narrowly holding off world outdoor champion Lilian Odira, who clocked 1:57.27 for third.
Audrey Werro: “I feel very good and I was very surprised by my finishing time because it’s still early in the season and I’m already so close to my personal best. It’s a great way to start the year. Last season I made the transition from junior to senior competition and learned many important lessons. Now I can put those experiences into practice. I don’t know where my limits are, and I don’t want to set any. I’ve improved physically and mentally, and for the past nine months I’ve been a full-time professional athlete without balancing studies alongside training. I’ve also become much more confident. My next race will be in Stockholm.”
Men’s Shot Put
Defending Diamond League champion Joe Kovacs set a meeting record of 22.56m in the second round to win the men’s shot put. Kovacs led a U.S. top-four sweep, finishing ahead of three-time Olympic champion Ryan Crouser (21.59m SB), Jordan Geist (21.56m) and Roger Steen (21.52m). Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri was the leading European in fifth with 21.42m, ahead of four-time world indoor champion Tom Walsh (21.24m) and Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell (21.04m).
Joe Kovacs: “I would love to know exactly how many Diamond League wins I have, but I honestly don’t know. My wife and I recently built a training facility, and I would love to put banners on the walls showing all the special achievements. Maybe I should start counting them. I’m grateful for every victory. My first Diamond League competition was back in 2012, so it’s great to begin another season with a win and a healthy body.”
Women’s Discus Throw
Double Olympic champion Valarie Allman produced a meeting record of 68.75m in the final round to win the women’s discus. World silver medallist Jorinde van Klinken finished second with 66.72m, while 2023 world champion Laulauga Tausaga placed third with 65.94m.
Valarie Allman: “I really had to work to find my rhythm today. With every round I improved a little bit, and to finish with a meeting record here in Rabat is incredible. When I competed here in 2019, it was my first professional meeting and Yaime Pérez broke the meeting record. I remember thinking how amazing that was, and now it feels like a full-circle moment. I’ve really enjoyed being in Africa and experiencing the energy and culture. The women’s discus is incredibly competitive right now, with many athletes building momentum. Seventy metres remains the benchmark I’m chasing, and I can feel myself moving closer to peak competition form.”
