Mechaal: “I will not give up on Jakob Ingebrigtsen”

Adel Mechaal It has been a reference for the Spanish midfielder for many years. In Istanbulwhere she lives with her husband, the Turkish athlete emine hatunhoping to get on the podium for 3,000 meters in European covered track, where he will face the Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Mechaal (El Jebha, Morocco; 1990) came to Spain with two years, in palamos, and gained nationality in 2013. Since then he has carved out a successful sports career. The latest; the success in Spanish Championship 3,000 meters on the inner track at Madrid and the national record 1,500 in Birmingham with 3:33.28broke the previous internal record held by Andres Diaz since 1999.

How do you get to this European?

The numbers speak for themselves. I am in my best shape, not in vain have I broken my personal best twice, in Gallur and in Birminghamand the preparation I did with my coach Antonio Serrano It’s for 3,000, so I’m a bit better than when I broke the European record last year.

Andrés Díaz’s Spanish indoor track 1,500 record took him a year to break since he set it

Last year I would have said that I wanted to, but in Birmingham the track is very old, it’s not the best to break a record. This year the track is new, the British federation A lot of money was spent to remodel it and it opened with three records, local, Irish and Spanish. The perfect race took place and I was very happy. This competition gives me great hope to arrive in Istanbul in the best form.

In Istanbul he will face Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The other day Mohamed Katir said his aim this summer was to try to win it. Can you beat him in Istanbul?

what do you think Katir we are all like that. Is it true? Jakob he is in incredible form. He got sick and I hope he came exhausted. He is the athlete to beat. It’s like Mo Farah or Hicham El Guerrouj in his day. All the athletes train with his eyes on him. He has a target on his back and we all want to surpass him. I will try that Neil Gourley he is as tired as possible and let’s see if he gets tired, because he will also double the distance. 3,000 is the last test, I will do everything and I will not bow before him.

Two years ago, Katir was almost a stranger. What does your irruption mean for other athletes?

An incentive. From 2015 until they arrived Katir and Mario Garcia Romo I probably felt a little bit above the Spanish level and that relaxes you. I achieved five doubles. The two of them burst into Spanish middle-distance athletics and pushed us all.

In Birminghamfor example, has a goal, to do the minimum for budapest world cupand thus in the summer to prepare the Spanish Championship above, without worrying about that minimum. Ignacio Fontes, Jesús Gómez, Katir, Mario and me We are five athletes and there are three places for world. You have to get to the Spanish Championship in incredible shape, without thinking about Budapest, because if you think about that, you might as well stay at home.

Are you comfortable running indoors?

Yes. The inner track comes after the cross transition. You come from very high volume, running distances of ten kilometers, and the 3,000 test is my favorite, it’s my best. 5,000 is a bit long for me and 1,500 is short.

At 3,000, when the indoor track comes, it’s not that I’ve changed, but it’s a test that I’m adapting well and I’m trying to enjoy it. Last year, outside, I had a great time, but covid cut it all down. I beat my best score at 5,000 in Stockholmin diamond leagueand covid ruined the preparation.

Athletics never stops. As soon as I arrived from Istanbul, the outdoor season will start shortly. Is everyone focused on the World Cup in Budapest?

for us and the Federation is the most important goal. Then we have European Cuphe road world championshipwhich would be very nice to Riga, at the end of September, and I want to participate. These are the three big goals of the summer season.

TURKEY, COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE

This European was in Turkey, a country he knew. Do you still live in Istanbul?

Yes. Turkish people are very hospitable, they open their arms to you and hug you. Four and a half years ago I moved to Turkey because my husband works in a school with children Down’s Syndrome and intellectual disability and obviously he needs to be there working and I can run anywhere. I decided to go Istanbul and the truth is that the people there welcomed me. They are currently going through a huge tragedy and we expect it European of four days will help them a little to forget the weeks ahead of the reconstruction, which will take months and maybe years.

On social networks, he was dismayed by the consequences of the earthquakes in Turkey, where many people they know were affected.

The ten most destroyed cities add up to 13 million people. Many were displaced. I got married last September antakya, the city with the most deaths and the most landslides. After seven days there are others two earthquakes, one at 6.4 and another at 5.8. My husband’s relatives lost their homes.

We got married there six months ago, we had 245 guests, six of them died and two disappeared. My husband had a hard time because cousins ​​and friends died and his coach, both brother, father and two children died. It hasn’t been easy for my husband, or for me, but the good thing is that we have a good immediate family. They are in our house Istanbul waiting for the Government to transfer them so that they can make a living until they know what can happen antakya. I look forward to going to the city. I will do it later European. In recent years, I have traveled a lot to see my husband’s family and this is a tragedy and a great shame.