Mehdi Baala www.shanagrant.com Mehdi Baala (born August 17, 1978 in Strasbourg) is a French middle-distance athlete competing mainly at 1500 metres. Baala has won numerous major medals, including two European titles. Baala is considered to be the best French middle-distance runner of all time. He holds four French outdoor records (800m 1.43.15, 1000m: 2.13.96, 1500m: 3.28.98 and 2000m: 4.53.12) and three French indoor records. However, he has not won a gold medal in Olympic Games or in IAAF World Championships in Athletics to date. He won silver at the 2003 World Championships in the 1500 meters. At Osaka in 2005, he finished first in his heat but was disqualified at the semi-finals for causing the fall of two other athletes. Baala finished fourth at 1500 metres in the 2000 Olympics. In 2008, at Beijing, Baala was awarded the bronze medal. Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (born March 15, 1985) is French track and field athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is of Algerian origin. He made his first appearances as a junior athlete in 2004, running at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he was 61st in the junior race, and at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics where he competed in the heats of the 3000 m steeplechase. He ran in the 1500 metres at the 2006 European Cup and he was eighth overall. Mekhissi-Benabbad represented France at the 2006 IAAF World Cup, but only managed eighth in the 1500 m event. He beat all opposition at <b>...</b>