Ibrahim Chakir: “And I passed Bekele and Kipchoge”

Talent makes you a good runner, perseverance makes you a champion

Hicham El Guerruj

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Almost thirty years have passed since my great years as an athlete and here I am still, in my late fifties, believing that I retain something of what I was.

The people at Asics present a new model of shoes (the Novablast 5) and, to celebrate the event, they have invited us to the indoor track of the Zaragoza Sports Palace. It proposes us to run two kilometers in progression, chasing the laser light that lights up on the rope and that accelerates with each turn, and this is how the experience drifts towards a dead end.

There we go about twenty journalists, salespeople, product sellers, and also the great Ibrahim Chakir (30). We are chasing the laser, a kind of hare that goes faster with each passing lap and at first it takes us at six minutes per km but then it gets to 5m00s, now 4m30s, now 4m00s, now 3m40s, 3m30s, 3m00s, now 2m45s. .. and don’t ask me how, but I watch how we all stick out our tongues.

We can’t take it anymore.

And then Chakir stretches his stride and launches himself in pursuit of the laser.

How the guy flies.

How is it possible…?

How can he run so much?

When it’s all over and I throw the question at him, Chakir shrugs.

He answers me:

–My life is running, you know?

My life is a dream. “I married Shirley, I became a professional with Asics, I ran in some Games.”

Ibrahim ChakirOlympic marathoner

(…)

Ten or more years ago, in the Chakir family home in Vilafranca del Pendès, Ibrahim shared his room with three brothers and on a wall hung a vinyl: “Tokyo 2020”.

–And what happened to the vinyl?

–Well, I don’t live there anymore. In fact, seven of the eight siblings have left home. The little one remains. I live with Shirley, who is my wife. I’m living in a dream, you know?

–…?

–I got married this year. I have become professional with Asics. I live for athletics! I didn’t make it to Tokyo 2020 but I was an Olympian this summer. I ran the Paris 2024 marathon.

–Have you already tattooed the five rings?

–Muslims cannot get tattoos. I made this silver necklace (she shows me the chain that hangs from her neck, the same one she shows in the image). We also cannot carry gold. I ordered an identical necklace, although made of gold, from Shirley. I owe him a lot.

-Because?

–She works in the offices of Big Panda (clothing company). She is my training partner: on my long jogs in Vilafranca she comes with the bicycle. Other times I go to Soria, with Enrique Pascual Oliva’s group, and there I already have more companions.

(Many years ago, Enrique Pascual Oliva led the footsteps of Fermín Cacho and Abel Antón; today he leads Daniel Mateo).

–I owe a lot to those around me. For example, to my sister Essoad.

-Because?

–My father (Abdelhamid) worked in the fields or in a restaurant. He provided the money for food and for the roof under which we slept. My older sisters helped with everything else. Essoad sacrificed himself to pay for my running shoes. Because at first it wasn’t easy…

He tells me about his first achievements under the tutelage of Maria Carbó, in Vilafranca, when he competed in the 3,000m obstacles. And from his experience in León, with Enrique Villacorta, when everything he earned was sent to his family. And his summer vacations, as a shop assistant or under the sun in the vineyard, with Abdelhamid. And about when he retired from many races because he didn’t understand the defeats and he would return home sad and his father would tell him: ‘Well, leave it.’ And the mother, Fátima: ‘If he likes it, let him continue.’

–And now I have managed to run 255 kilometers in a week and in the Paris marathon, what an adventure! At the height of the half marathon I passed Kipchoge. I told him: ‘Ale, ale!’. I was shocked, I didn’t expect to see him there. And in the 33rd minute I overtook Bekele, the monster of my childhood. Brilliant! When we met later, at anti-doping, we took a photo together. Bekele is a superior being, he is like Hicham El Guerruj, the idol who inspired me to run.

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