Saif Saaeed Shaheen

Saif Saaeed Shaheen is a Qatari middle- and long-distance runner, born in Kenya, who set the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase world record in 2004.

2004 World Athletics Final: The annual track-and-field competition organized by the IAAF from 1983 to 2009. Shaheen set his world record in the 3,000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 edition in Monaco.
3,000 metres steeplechase: A track race over 3,000 metres that includes fixed barriers and a water jump. It is the event in which Shaheen became world-record holder.
Stephen Cherono: The Kenyan-born steeplechase runner who competed for Kenya before changing nationality to Qatar and taking the name Saif Saaeed Shaheen. This was Shaheen’s birth name and the name under which he represented Kenya.
World record progression in the 3,000 metres steeplechase: The chronological sequence of officially recognized men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase world records. Shaheen’s 2004 mark remained the world record until Lamecha Girma broke it in 2023.
2003 World Championships in Athletics: The ninth edition of the IAAF World Championships, held in Paris in 2003. Shaheen won the steeplechase world title for Qatar after competing for Kenya in earlier championships.
Steeplechase barriers: Fixed obstacles that runners must clear during a steeplechase race. Repeated barrier clearances make rhythm and speed essential in Shaheen’s event.
Kenya at the World Championships in Athletics: Kenya’s national team at the World Athletics Championships, known for success in distance running. Shaheen represented Kenya before switching allegiance to Qatar.
Athlete nationality changes: Changes in the country an athlete represents in international competition. Shaheen’s move from Kenya to Qatar made his career a prominent example of national allegiance changing.
2005 World Championships in Athletics: The tenth edition of the IAAF World Championships, held in Helsinki in 2005. Shaheen retained his world steeplechase title two years after his first victory.
Water jump: A steeplechase obstacle consisting of a barrier followed by a water-filled landing pit. The water jump adds a distinctive hurdle to every lap of the 3,000 metres race.

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Ezekiel KemboiCompared with: Shaheen represented the chief international challenge to Kenyan steeplechase supremacy.