Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Diamond League final in Brussels on Saturday, as Ethiopia's Gemechu Godana produced a surprise victory at King Baudouin Stadium.
Godana crossed the finish line in 8:08.67, with El Bakkali finishing in 8:10.03. Kenya's Simon Koech completed the podium in 8:11.15.
El Bakkali Arrived as the Man to Beat
The Moroccan entered the final as the leading qualifier with 31 points, having established himself as one of the dominant performers on the Diamond League circuit throughout the season.
El Bakkali won three of his five steeplechase races on the circuit and arrived in Brussels carrying the world's fastest time of the year.
That mark, 7:57.25, came at the Rabat meeting on May 31, while his personal best remains an extraordinary 7:56.68.
Another Podium for a Moroccan Legend
While the Diamond League title ultimately escaped him, El Bakkali's season remains another remarkable chapter in one of Morocco's greatest sporting careers.
The 30-year-old is already a two-time Olympic champion and two-time world champion in the steeplechase, and his continued presence at the very top of the event underlines his extraordinary longevity and consistency.
A second-place finish in the season finale adds yet another international podium to a career that has already placed El Bakkali among the greatest steeplechasers in history.
Ben Yazide Faces a Tougher Evening
Fellow Moroccan Salaheddine Ben Yazide was unable to complete the final in Brussels.
The 23-year-old had qualified for the Diamond League final in sixth place with 14 points, following a promising season of his own.
Only days earlier, Ben Yazide captured the steeplechase title at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, recording a time of 8:46.14.
Earlier in the season, he also produced a new personal best of 8:05.08 at the Silesia meeting, where he finished third.
Morocco's Steeplechase Tradition Continues
El Bakkali's latest podium and Ben Yazide's continued development once again highlight Morocco's remarkable strength in the steeplechase.
For El Bakkali, Brussels may not have delivered the Diamond League trophy, but it provided another reminder of the extraordinary standard he continues to maintain at the highest level.
The crown may have slipped away on this occasion, but El Bakkali leaves another season having done what he has done for years, keeping Moroccan athletics firmly among the world's elite.