5 Facts About...Abdellatif Baka

What you need to know about Algeria's gold medal contender at London 2017. 28 Jun 2017
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A group of men running

Abdellatif Baka of Algeria and Yeltsin Jacques of Brazil lead the pack in the men's 1500 meter T13 final

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By IPC

Algerian Abdellatif Baka goes for gold in the men’s 1,500m T13 at July’s World Para Athletics Championships. What do you know about the 23-year-old?

Five Facts About Abdellatif Baka

1) Baka comes from El Eulma in the east of Algeria.

2) He took up athletics aged 11, joining in with his brother who was already taking part in the sport.

3) He won double middle-distance gold at Lyon 2013, then double silver at Doha 2015.

4) Baka won the 1,500m T13 at Rio 2016 in world record time (3:48.29) – faster than the time it took US athlete Matt Centrowitz to win Olympic 1,500m gold one month earlier.

5) The Paralympic champion has a twin brother Fouad, who will race in the 800m T13 in London – Fouad finished fourth behind his brother in Rio.