Zurich – French athletics badboy Mahiedine Mekhissi won the European outdoor 1 500m title on Sunday to make up for the disappointment of being disqualified after winning the 3 000m steeplechase on Thursday.
The 29-year-old – a two-time Olympic silver medalist in the steeplechase – sauntered home in a race littered with falls to take the gold on the final day of the championships in Zurich.
Mekhissi, who was given a suspended ban by the French federation, fined 1 500 euros and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service after getting into a fist fight with compatriot Mehdi Baala after a Diamond League 1 500m race in 2011, was disqualified after winning his third successive steeplechase European crown on Thursday for whipping off his vest before the end of the race. – Sapa-AFP