Hicham El Guerrouj

Hicham El Guerrouj (born September 14, 1974, Berkane, Morocco) is a world record setting middle distance athlete and credited by some as the greatest middle-distance runner of all time as well as the "King of the Mile". He has now moved up to compete in long distance events. In the next athletics season in 2005, he plans to better Kenenisa Bekele's world record of 12min.37sec in the 5000m.

History

Hicham El Guerrouj's first international triumph arrived in 1992, when he was third in the 5.000 metres junior World Championships in Seoul. He rose to international prominence in the mid-1990s with near-record times in the 1500 meters and mile. In 1996, he finished a disappointing eighth at the Atlanta Olympics after colliding with Algeria's Nourredine Morceli, who went to win the gold medal.

Related Topics:
1500 meters - 1996 - Atlanta Olympics

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El Guerrouj later made up for it by winning four consecutive world titles in 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003. El Guerrouj broke the world record in the mile set by Noureddine Morceli of Algeria on July 7, 1998, recording a remarkable 3:43.13 and just edging out Noah Ngeny of Kenya who recorded 3:43.40.

Related Topics:
World titles - 1997 - 1999 - 2001 - 2003 - World record - Noureddine Morceli - Algeria - July 7 - 1998

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At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, he finished second in the 1500 meters. He won the gold medal in both the 1500 meters and 5000 meters at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, running a stunning 1:46 last 800 meters in the 1500 meters to outkick Bernard Lagat of Kenya. In the 5,000m, El Guerrouj waited behind Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele until the home straightaway where he sprinted away for a 13:14 win. He became then the first man in 80 years to win both races in the same Olympics, after the "Flying Finn" Paavo Nurmi in 1924.

Related Topics:
Sydney Olympics - 2000 - 1500 meters - 5000 meters - 2004 Summer Olympics - Athens - Greece - Bernard Lagat - Kenya - Ethiopia's - Kenenisa Bekele - Paavo Nurmi

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Hicham El Guerrouj also won 3 consecutive Golden League prizes in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He was the only middle distance athlete to achieve the win streak necessary to be entitled for a share of the Jackpot of 50 kilos of gold. Indeed, he is the only athlete to have won it three times in a row.

Related Topics:
Golden League - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - Middle distance - Athlete - Gold

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