Ahmed Baday
Encyclopedia
Ahmed Ibrahim Baday (born 12 January 1979) is a Moroccan
long-distance runner who specialized in the 5000 metres
and cross-country running but now competes in road running
competitions.
A main stay of the Moroccan team at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, he helped his nation to medals in the team race in 1999, 2003 and 2007. In track running, he was the 10,000 metres gold medal
list at the 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie
and also won bronze at the 2001 Mediterranean Games
. He competed for Morocco at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
.
He began running in road competitions in 2008 and his highlights include a half marathon
gold medal at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
and a win at the Beppu-Ōita Marathon
.
, where he came third in the 5000 m. At the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
he was fifteenth in the men's short race, helping Morocco to the team silver medal
. He won the 10,000 metres gold medal
at the 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie
and then a bronze medal
in the event at the 2001 Mediterranean Games
. He did not compete at any major competitions in 2002 and upon his international return he was fifteenth again in the short race at the 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, this time taking the team bronze.
He represented Morocco in the world cross country long race from 2004 to 2010, typically finishing in the top thirty, and his best performance came at the 2007 edition
, where he came seventeenth and won the team silver medal alongside Anis Selmouni
. On the track he came fifth over 5000 m at the 2004 African Championships in Athletics
, but managed only seventh place at the 2006 competition. At the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
he did not retain his 10,000 m but still managed to win the bronze medal. He ran for Morocco at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
, but was eliminated in the first round. He was chosen as a 5000 m back-up for Morocco at the 2008 Summer Olympics
, but did not participate.
Baday began to focus on road events and made his marathon
debut in May 2008, finishing ninth at the Hamburg Marathon
with a time of 2:10:59. In his second outing over the distance, he took third at the National Capital Marathon
in Ottawa
. He represented Morocco in the half marathon
at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
and defeated José Manuel Martinez
to become the Mediterranean champion. After recoring a personal best of 1:01:03 for second at the Rabat Half Marathon, he ran at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
but was less successful as he finished in 49th place. In February 2010 he came third at the Marrakesh Marathon and improved his personal best time by one second. His season's best time came at the Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon
, which he won in a course record time. He ran in the Bogota Half Marathon
in August and took third place with a time of 1:04:47.
He began 2011 with a win at the Beppu-Ōita Marathon
, his first victory over the distance, beating Daniel Njenga
in a personal best of 2:10:14.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
long-distance runner who specialized in the 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
and cross-country running but now competes in road running
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
competitions.
A main stay of the Moroccan team at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
, he helped his nation to medals in the team race in 1999, 2003 and 2007. In track running, he was the 10,000 metres gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
list at the 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie
2001 Jeux de la Francophonie
The 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie, also known as IVes Jeux de la Francophonie, were held in Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec, Canada from July 14–24 2001.-Sports: *Handisport...
and also won bronze at the 2001 Mediterranean Games
2001 Mediterranean Games
The 14th edition of the Mediterranean Games were held in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, from 2 to 15 September 2001. Twenty three nations competed in 23 different sporting events. France won the most gold medals in the competition while Italy had the greatest medal haul overall with 136 in...
. He competed for Morocco at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
.
He began running in road competitions in 2008 and his highlights include a half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
gold medal at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
2009 Mediterranean Games
The 2009 Mediterranean Games , officially known as the XVI Mediterranean Games, took place in Pescara, Italy, from 25 June to 5 July, 2009...
and a win at the Beppu-Ōita Marathon
Beppu-Ōita Marathon
The ' is an annual men's marathon race that takes place every February between the cities of Beppu and Ōita on the island of Kyushu in Japan. First held in 1952 as a 35 km race, the looped marathon course begins at the bottom of Takasaki Mountain and reaches Beppu's Kankoko International Port...
.
Career
He won his first international medal at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 1998 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Annecy, France from July 28 to August 2, 1998.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...
, where he came third in the 5000 m. At the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 27th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 27-28 March 1999 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :...
he was fifteenth in the men's short race, helping Morocco to the team silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
. He won the 10,000 metres gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie
Athletics at the 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie
At the 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie, the athletics events were held at Terry Fox Stadium in Ottawa, Canada between 14–23 July 2001. A total of 47 events were contested, of which 24 by male and 23 by female athletes. Included in this were two disability athletics events for wheelchair racers...
and then a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in the event at the 2001 Mediterranean Games
Athletics at the 2001 Mediterranean Games
At the 2001 Mediterranean Games, the athletics events were held in Tunis and Radès in Tunisia from 11 to 14 September 2001. Italy topped the medal table with 9 gold medals and 30 medals in total, shortly followed by France which also had 9 golds but 23 medals overall. Greece had the next greatest...
. He did not compete at any major competitions in 2002 and upon his international return he was fifteenth again in the short race at the 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 31st IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 29-30 March 2003 in Lausanne and Avenches , Switzerland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
, this time taking the team bronze.
He represented Morocco in the world cross country long race from 2004 to 2010, typically finishing in the top thirty, and his best performance came at the 2007 edition
2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Mombasa, Kenya on 24 March, 2007. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...
, where he came seventeenth and won the team silver medal alongside Anis Selmouni
Anis Selmouni
Anis Selmouni is a Moroccan middle distance runner.At the 2007 World Cross Country Championships he finished thirteenth in the senior race, while the Moroccan team of which he was a part won the silver medal in the team competition....
. On the track he came fifth over 5000 m at the 2004 African Championships in Athletics
2004 African Championships in Athletics
The 14th African Championships in Athletics were held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in July, 2004. Since African Championships is a biennial event, this edition was contested only a month before 2004 Summer Olympics. Thus some top athletes shunned the event...
, but managed only seventh place at the 2006 competition. At the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
Athletics at the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
At the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie, the athletics events were held at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché in Niamey, Niger, from 11–16 December 2005. A total of 43 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 20 by female athletes. France sent the largest squad and topped the medal table with 19...
he did not retain his 10,000 m but still managed to win the bronze medal. He ran for Morocco at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
, but was eliminated in the first round. He was chosen as a 5000 m back-up for Morocco at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Morocco at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Morocco competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008.-Medalists:-Archery:Morocco will send an archer to the Olympics for the first time...
, but did not participate.
Baday began to focus on road events and made his marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
debut in May 2008, finishing ninth at the Hamburg Marathon
Hamburg Marathon
The Hamburg Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of held in Hamburg, Germany. In 2009, 13,938 participants were counted.- History :The first edition took place in 1986 with about 8,000 participants...
with a time of 2:10:59. In his second outing over the distance, he took third at the National Capital Marathon
National Capital Marathon
National Capital Marathon, or Ottawa Race Weekend, is one of Canada's largest marathons. It is held in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. The 42.195 kilometres event features many races, including: the MDS Nordion 5K Run/Walk, the MDS Nordion 10K Run/Walk, the ING Ottawa Marathon Walk, the ING Marathon...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. He represented Morocco in the half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
Athletics at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
At the 2009 Mediterranean Games, the athletics events were held in Pescara, Italy from 30 June to 3 July.-Medal summary:-Men:-Women:-Disability athletics:-Games records:-Medal table:Key:-Participating nations:...
and defeated José Manuel Martinez
José Manuel Martínez
José Manuel Martínez Fernández is a Spanish long-distance runner. He is married to Spanish field hockey player Nuria Moreno....
to become the Mediterranean champion. After recoring a personal best of 1:01:03 for second at the Rabat Half Marathon, he ran at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Birmingham, United Kingdom on 11 October 2009. It was the final event of the International Association of Athletics Federations' 2009 World Athletics Series.-Organisation:...
but was less successful as he finished in 49th place. In February 2010 he came third at the Marrakesh Marathon and improved his personal best time by one second. His season's best time came at the Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon
Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon
The Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon is an annual road running competition over the half marathon distance which takes place in April in Yangzhou, People's Republic of China....
, which he won in a course record time. He ran in the Bogota Half Marathon
Bogota Half Marathon
The Bogotá International Half Marathon is an annual road running competition over the half marathon distance which takes place in Bogotá, Colombia in late July or early August. Established in 2000, it holds IAAF Gold Label Road Race status, making it the first and thus far only South American...
in August and took third place with a time of 1:04:47.
He began 2011 with a win at the Beppu-Ōita Marathon
Beppu-Ōita Marathon
The ' is an annual men's marathon race that takes place every February between the cities of Beppu and Ōita on the island of Kyushu in Japan. First held in 1952 as a 35 km race, the looped marathon course begins at the bottom of Takasaki Mountain and reaches Beppu's Kankoko International Port...
, his first victory over the distance, beating Daniel Njenga
Daniel Njenga
Daniel Njenga is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specializes in the marathon.He had his first successes in 1995 as he won the steeplechase gold medal at the 1995 Summer Universiade and also the Chiba International Cross Country meeting...
in a personal best of 2:10:14.
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | World Junior Championships 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 1998 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Annecy, France from July 28 to August 2, 1998.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:... |
Annecy Annecy Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
3rd | 5000 m | |
| 1999 | World Cross Country Championships 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 27th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 27-28 March 1999 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :... |
Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
15th | Short race | |
| 3rd | Team | ||||
| 2001 | Mediterranean Games Athletics at the 2001 Mediterranean Games At the 2001 Mediterranean Games, the athletics events were held in Tunis and Radès in Tunisia from 11 to 14 September 2001. Italy topped the medal table with 9 gold medals and 30 medals in total, shortly followed by France which also had 9 golds but 23 medals overall. Greece had the next greatest... |
Radès Radès Radès is a harbour city in Ben Arous Governorate, Tunisia. Situated 9 kilometres south-east of the capital Tunis, some consider it a Tunis suburb, and parts of the harbour installations of Tunis are located in Radès.... , Tunisia |
3rd | 10,000 m | |
| 2003 | World Cross Country Championships 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 31st IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 29-30 March 2003 in Lausanne and Avenches , Switzerland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :... |
Lausanne Lausanne Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west... , Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
15th | Short race | |
| 3rd | Team | ||||
| 2004 | African Championships 2004 African Championships in Athletics The 14th African Championships in Athletics were held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in July, 2004. Since African Championships is a biennial event, this edition was contested only a month before 2004 Summer Olympics. Thus some top athletes shunned the event... |
Brazzaville Brazzaville -Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo... , Congo |
5th | 5000 m | |
| 2006 | African Championships 2006 African Championships in Athletics The 15th African Championships in Athletics were held in Mauritius between August 9 and August 13, 2006. The event was staged at Stade Germain Comarmond in Bambous, Black River district... |
Bambous, Mauritius Mauritius Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar... |
7th | 5000 m | |
| 2009 | Mediterranean Games Athletics at the 2009 Mediterranean Games At the 2009 Mediterranean Games, the athletics events were held in Pescara, Italy from 30 June to 3 July.-Medal summary:-Men:-Women:-Disability athletics:-Games records:-Medal table:Key:-Participating nations:... |
Pescara, Italy | 1st | Half Marathon | |
Personal bests
- 3000 metres3000 metresThe 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
– 7:42.55 (2006) - 5000 metres5000 metresThe 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
– 13:09.46 (2006) - 10,000 metres – 27:48.85 (2005)