Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (born 15 March 1985) is a retired French professional middle-distance runner of Algerian descent who mainly competed in the 3000 metres steeplechase.

Mekhissi-Benabbad improved further at the 2008 Weltklasse Zürich meeting, finishing behind Paul Kipsiele Koech in second place in a personal best time of 8:08.95,[5] making him the fourth fastest 3000 m steeplechaser that year.

[6] Mekhissi-Benabbad opened the 2009 season with an appearance in the 3000 metres event at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix, where he registered a personal best of 7:53.50.

[8] Mekhissi-Benabbad secured a prominent 2009 IAAF Golden League race victory at the Meeting Areva in Paris with a time of 8:13.23.

During the outdoor season of 2010, he scored a steeplechase win in 8:08.82 over Ezekiel Kemboi and Richard Mateelong at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat.

On 6 July 2013, Mekhissi-Benabbad set a new 3000 m steeplechase European record of 8:00.09 in the race at the Meeting Areva held in the Stade de France.

Mekhissi-Benabbad finished second in that Meeting Areva 3000 m steeplechase race, which was won by Ezekiel Kemboi in the world's best time of the year (7:59.03).

The action was taken after he removed his shirt on the home-straight of the final lap in an act of celebration, and the Spanish team lodged an official protest for "unsporting behaviour".

The 3000 m steeplechase gold medal was awarded to fellow French athlete Yoann Kowal, who had finished second in that race.

As he needed several months to recover from his operation, he was forced to miss the 2015 summer athletics season, including the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

[19] After winning the 3000 meter steeplechase final at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona, Mekhissi-Benabbad asked a mascot to kneel in front of him before he pushed it to the ground.

On 22 July 2011, immediately after the 1500 m race of the Monaco meeting of the IAAF Diamond League, Mekhissi-Benabbad and his fellow competitor and compatriot Mehdi Baala traded blows on the track.