 Maher Ben Hlima at Záhorácka dvadsiatka 2023 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Poland /  Tunisia |
| Born | July 24, 1989 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Racewalking |
| Club | RKS Łódź |
| Coached by | Andrzej Chylinski |
Maher Ben Hlima (born July 24, 1989 [1] ) is a Polish racewalker of Tunisian origin.
Maher Ben Hlima won the 2007 African Junior Championship in the 10,000 m walk, representing Tunisia. [2] In 2008, he participated in the World Junior Athletics Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, over the same distance, where he failed to finish the race due to disqualification. [3] He then interrupted his sports career and moved to Poland, where, among other things, he opened a transport company. [4] In 2019 he obtained Polish citizenship, and in 2021 he returned to racing. [5] Since May 31, 2023, he is eligible to represent Poland internationally. [1]
In 2023, he won the Polish championship in the 10,000 m and silver medals in the 5000 m (indoor), 20 km and 35 km distances. [6] At the 69th Janusz Kusociński Memorial, he set a Polish record in the 1-mile walk with a time of 5:35.49. [7] In 2024 he won the title of Polish indoor champion at 5000 m, [8] Polish vice-championship at 20 km [9] and gold at 10,000 m. [10] He also competed in the world team championships (29th place in team with Olga Chojecka) [11] and the European 20 km championships (7th place). [12]
He competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where he reached 29th place at the 20 km distance [13] and 16th place in team with Olga Chojecka at the mixed relay marathon. [14]
Since 2023 he has represented the RKS Lodz club (coach: Andrzej Chylinski), and earlier KS Ultra Team Lódz. [6]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Tunisia | |||||
| 2007 | African Junior Championships | Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | 1st | 10,000 m | 53:09.98 [2] |
| 2008 | World Junior Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | DSQ | 10,000 m | DSQ [3] |
| Representing Poland | |||||
| 2023 | Polish Indoor Championships | Toruń, Poland | 2nd | 5000 m | 20:33.44 [15] |
| Polish Championships | Warsaw, Poland | 2nd | 20 km | 1:25.01 [16] | |
| Polish Championships | Dudince, Slovakia | 2nd | 35 km | 2:43.38 [17] | |
| Polish Championships | Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland | 1st | 10,000 m | 40:35.48 [18] | |
| 2024 | Polish Indoor Championships | Wrocław, Poland | 1st | 5000 m | 19:37.59 [18] |
| World Race Walking Team Championships | Antalya, Turkey | 29th | marathon, mixed relay (in team with Olga Chojecka ) | 3:07:31 [11] | |
| Polish Championships | Warsaw, Poland | 2nd | 20 km | 1:23:28 [19] [9] | |
| European Championships | Rome, Italy | 7th | 20 km | 1:21:12 [12] | |
| Polish Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 1st | 10,000 m | 40:33.56 [10] | |
| Summer Olympics | Paris, France | 29th | 20 km | 1:22:34 [13] | |
| 16th | marathon, mixed relay (in team with Olga Chojecka | 3:00:55 [14] | |||
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