▁place ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁I A AF ▁World ▁Cross ▁Country ▁Championships ▁and ▁then ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 0 ▁metres ▁gold ▁medal ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁European ▁Athletics ▁Junior ▁Championships . ▁In ▁the ▁winter ▁season , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁junior ▁race ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁European ▁Cross ▁Country ▁Championships , ▁leading ▁the ▁French ▁juni ors ▁to ▁victory ▁along ▁with ▁runner - up ▁Flor ian ▁Car val ho . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁he ▁stepped ▁up ▁an ▁age ▁category ▁and ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁under - 2 3 ▁competition ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁European ▁Cross ▁Country ▁Championships , ▁where ▁he ▁finished ▁in ▁e ighth ▁and ▁shared ▁in ▁the ▁team ▁bronze ▁medal ▁with ▁France . ▁He ▁ran ▁on ▁the ▁world ▁senior ▁stage ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁taking ▁ 6 3 rd ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁I A AF ▁World ▁Cross ▁Country ▁Championships ▁and ▁being ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁Athletics . ▁However , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁make ▁it ▁into ▁the ▁final ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁men ' s ▁ 5 0 0 0 ▁metres ▁at ▁the ▁latter ▁competition . ▁That ▁season ▁he ▁set ▁a ▁European ▁under - 2 3 ▁record ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁metres , ▁running ▁at ▁time ▁of ▁ 7 : 3 7 . 5 0 ▁at ▁the ▁Me eting ▁Are va ▁in ▁July . ▁He ▁won ▁his