Hicham El Guerrouj biography
Hicham El Guerrouj, (born September 14, 1974, Berkane, Morocco), Moroccan middle-distance runner, who turned the primary man to carry world data within the mile and the 1,500-metre races each indoors and open air.
El Guerrouj—impressed by the accomplishments of his countryman Said Aouita, a gold medalist within the 5,000 metres on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics—started operating as an adolescent. In 1995 he attained the indoor world title within the 1,500 metres. During the mid-Nineties he pursued Noureddine Morceli of Algeria, the world’s high middle-distance runner and his chief rival. El Guerrouj completed second to Morceli within the 1,500 metres on the 1995 out of doors world championships. The 1,500-metre race on the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, was some of the dramatic contests in athletics historical past: El Guerrouj was operating within the lead with Morceli with 400 metres to go, when the younger Moroccan tripped on his rival’s heel and fell to the bottom. Devastated, El Guerrouj returned to the monitor however completed final. Later that yr, nevertheless, he lastly caught Morceli, successful the Grand Prix remaining in Milan.
In 1997 El Guerrouj misplaced only one race and set world data within the indoor 1,500 metres (3 min 48 sec) and the indoor mile (3 min 48.45 sec). He continued his record-breaking streak in 1999, setting the world file within the mile (3 min 43.13 sec) and successful the 1,500-metre occasion on the out of doors world championships. At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, he received the silver medal within the 1,500-metre race after which proceeded to win 32 finals, together with the world championships in 2001 and 2003. He lastly received an Olympic gold medal within the 1,500 metres on the 2004 Games in Athens after which added a second gold together with his victory within the 5,000-metre race. He turned the primary Olympic runner since Paavo Nurmi in 1924 to attain the 1,500-5,000 double. In 2006 El Guerrouj retired from aggressive racing.