Abdel Laadjel

Abdel Laadjel

Personal information
Nationality	Irish
Born	(2003-09-09) 9 September 2003 (age 22) Dublin, Ireland
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Long-distance running, Cross country running
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Mile: 3:59.89 (Boston, 2024) 3000m: 7:52.52 (Boston, 2024) 5000m: 13:29.79 (Boston, 2024) 10,000m: 28:29.17 (Palo Alto, 2025)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing   Ireland European Cross Country Championships 2021 Dublin U20 team

Abdel Laadjel (born 9 September 2003) is an Irish long-distance and cross country runner. ^[1]

Early life

Born in Dublin, Laadjel attended Kishoge Community College in Lucan, Dublin, before attending the University of Providence on Rhode Island in the United States on a full scholarship. In Ireland, he was a member of Donore Harriers, and won the All-Ireland Schools Cross Country championship in March 2020. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Career

Laadjel was a member of the Irish team which won the silver medal in the U20 men's team event at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships in Dublin in December 2021, and was the highest Irish finisher in sixth place. ^{[5] [6]} In February 2022, he broke Darragh McElhinney's Irish under-20 5000 metres indoor record, before breaking the Irish U20 10,000 metres record the following month, which had been set in 1970 by Frank Greally. ^{[7] [8]}

Laadjel placed fourth at the 2023 European Athletics U23 Championships over 10,000 metres in Espoo, Finland, in a time of 29:23:33. ^{[9] [10]}

Laadjel transferred from Providence University to the University of Oregon prior to the start of the 2025 indoor season. ^[11] Laadjel ran 28:29.17 for the 10,000 metres to move to ninth on the University or Oregon all-time list, at the Stanford Invitational on 4 April 2025. ^[12] He won the individual men’s race and the team title with Oregon at the Big Ten Conference cross country championships on 31 October 2025. ^[11] He had a sixth place finish at the NCAA West Regional cross country championships on 14 November 2025 at in Sacramento, California, helping the Oregon Ducks to the team title. ^[13] On 22 November, he had a top-ten finish at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Missouri. ^[14]

References

1. "Abdel Laadjel". World Athletics. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
2. "Laadjel breaks Irish athletics' longest-standing record". echo.ie. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
3. "At Providence College, a storied history of talented Irish runners". Boston Globe. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
4. Britton, Robbie (November 16, 2020). "Laadjel heading stateside". Fast Running. Retrieved 2 Nov 2025.
5. "Darragh McElhinney takes silver as Irish U23 team win gold at European Cross Country Championships". The 42. 12 Dec 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
6. "IRELAND SECURE SILVER MEDAL AT SPAR EUROPEAN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS". Athletics Ireland. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
7. "ABDEL LAADJEL BREAKS 10,000M RECORD (U20)". Athletics Ireland. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
8. "Abdel Laadjel breaks longest-standing Irish record with new U20 mark for 10,000m". Irish Times. 27 Mar 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
9. "European Athletics U23 Championships". World Athletics. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
10. "EUROPEAN ATHLETICS U23 CHAMPIONSHIPS: DAY 4 MORNING SESSION". Athletics Ireland. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
11. Hansen, Chris. "Double domination for Ducks, as Oregon men and women sweep Big Ten cross country titles". Eugene Register-Guard. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
12. Hansen, Chris. "Oregon track freshman demolishes a school record during her first race as a Duck". Eugene Register-Guard. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
13. Hansen, Chris (14 Nov 2025). "Oregon's men's and women's cross country teams secure spots in the NCAA championship meet". Register Guard. Retrieved 15 Nov 2025.
14. "Habtom Samuel, Doris Lemngole Win At 2025 NCAA XC Championships: Full Recap". Flotrack. 22 Nov 2025. Retrieved 22 Nov 2025.