The muleño again takes on Adel Mechaal, whom he defeated in the final of the 1,500 of the last Spanish championship
Although the call-up for Spain’s athletics team for the European Championship starting August 15 in Munich will be made public on Monday, THE TRUTH can anticipate that Mo Katir will not double the distance, as he initially planned, and only in the 5,000 meters trial. We must not forget that he comes from winning the bronze in the 1,500 at the World Championships in Eugene (Oregon).
For example, Katir and his great national rival, the Moroccan from Palamós (Gerona) Adel Mechaal, will compete against each other at the European Championships in Munich. They do this by giving up the 1,500 meters and opting for the 5,000, an area in which they also feel comfortable. Instead of trying to double the distance, both athletes have decided to focus on the five kilometers and get all their tricks out of that. The Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, crowned world champion 5,000 meters last Sunday, becomes the big favorite for gold.
Katir and Mechaal met for the last time during the last Spanish Championships played in Nerja. It was in the 1,500 meters, with a surprising victory for Mario García Romo from Salamanca, silver for Katir and a fourth place for Mechaal. The one from Palamós would announce positive for Covid days later.
The current rivalry between Katir and Mechaal is reminiscent of that of José Luis González and José Manuel Abascal four decades ago. These are athletes who not only dominate the 1,500 meters, but also shine in the 3,000 (non-Olympic distance) and 5,000 meters. They both deliver high performance in the 10-kilometer asphalt tests and their personal relationship is more than distant. Both were born in Morocco and are nationalized Spanish. Katir is 24 years old and Mechaal is 31.
In their particular battle, Mechaal wins for now: 14 times they faced each other on the tartan, and nine times the athlete from Palamós was in the lead and on five occasions the Muleño finished earlier.
Source: La Verdad
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