Morhad Amdouni

Morhad Amdouni (Arabic: مراد عمدوني; born 21 June 1988)^[1] is a French middle- and long-distance runner. He won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres and bronze for the 5000 metres at the 2018 European Athletics Championships.

Morhad Amdouni

Amdouni winning the 10,000 m at the 2018 European Championships
Personal information
Born	(1988-06-21) 21 June 1988 (age 37) Porto-Vecchio, France
Sport
Country	France
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	5000 metres 10,000 metres
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  France European Championships 2018 Berlin 10,000 m 2018 Berlin 5000 m European Team Championships 2015 Cheboksary 5000 m European 10,000m Cup 2018 London 10,000 m European U20 Championships 2007 Hengelo 5000 m European Cross Country Championships 2007 Toro U20 race 2007 Toro U20 team 2010 Albufeira Team 2011 Velenje Team 2022 Turin Team 2015 Hyères Team 2006 San Giorgio su Legnano U20 team 2008 Brussels U23 team

Amdouni was the European under-20 champion in track (5000 m) and cross country running in 2007. He is the French record holder for the marathon and won two national titles.

Personal life

Born in France on the island of Corsica, Amdouni is of Tunisian descent.^[2]

Running career

Amdouni made his junior international debut in the 1500 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics but did not progress past the heats.^[3] At the 2006 European Cross Country Championships he finished twelfth in the junior race, gaining the team bronze medal with France alongside Noureddine Smaïl. He made significant progress in the junior ranks the following year: first, he managed 38th place at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and then he won the 5000 metres gold medal at the 2007 European Athletics Junior Championships. In the winter season, he went on to win the junior race at the 2007 European Cross Country Championships, leading the French juniors to victory along with runner-up Florian Carvalho.^[4]

In 2008, he stepped up an age category and competed in the under-23 competition of the 2008 European Cross Country Championships, where he finished in eighth and shared in the team bronze medal with France.^[4] He ran on the world senior stage for the first time the following year, taking 63rd at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and being selected for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. However, he did not make it into the final of the world men's 5000 metres at the latter competition.^[5] That season he set a European under-23 record in the 3000 metres, running at time of 7:37.50 at the Meeting Areva in July.^[6] He won his first senior medal at the 2010 European Cross Country Championships as he finished in fifth place behind compatriot Abdellatif Meftah to take the men's senior team title.^[7]

Controversy

He made his debut appearance at the Olympics representing France at the 2020 Summer Olympics and competed in the men's marathon event, where he finished 17th. At the 28 km mark of the race, Amdouni was filmed knocking over a table's worth of water bottles before grasping the last bottle, denying bottles to competitors behind him, leading to criticisms of bad sportsmanship from observers. He later claimed that the bottles were wet and slippery, making them difficult to grasp.^[8][9][10]

Achievements

Personal bests

• 800 metres – 1:47.20 (Padua 2015)
• 1500 metres – 3:34.05 (Monaco 2015)
• 3000 metres – 7:37.50 (Paris-Saint-Denis 2009)
  • 3000 metres indoor – 7:44.55 (Metz 2017)
• 5000 metres – 13:14.19 (Rabat 2009)
  • 5000 metres indoor – 13:11.18 (Birmingham 2017)
• 10,000 metres – 27:23.39 (Birmingham 2021)
• 20,000 metres – 57:50.25 (Lucciana 2020) NR
• One hour run – 20,772 m (Lucciana 2020) NR

Road

• 5 kilometres – 13:19 (Monaco 2021)
• 10 kilometres – 27:42 (Barcelona 2020)
• Half marathon – 59:40 (Gdynia 2020)
• Marathon – 2:03:47 (Seville 2024) NR

National titles

• French Athletics Championships
  • 1500 metres: 2015
  • 5000 metres: 2016