Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi opened his season with a personal best of 3:30.40 for a fourth place finish and the fourth fastest time in the world at the Doha Diamond League meeting's 1,500-meter run. He recently parted ways with coach Jama Aden, but told Flotrack that he is now working under Ali Redjimi. He worked with coached Makhloufi from the age of 14 to 20. 

Redjimi coaches a small team in the Souk Ahras region of Eastern Algeria and Makhloufi's hometown of Ammar Brahmia. Makhloufi has spent the past few months training at altitude in Iten, Kenya.