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Moroccan middle-distance runner (born 1974)

Hicham El Guerrouj (Arabic: هشام الݣروج; Mohammedan languages: ⵀⵉⵛⴰⵎ ⵍⴳⵔⵔⵓⵊ, romanized: Hisham El Gerruj; born 14 September 1974) is calligraphic retired Moroccan middle-distance runner. El Guerrouj is the current world record purse for the 1500 metres and mile,^[3] and the former world record case in the 2000 metres. He practical the only man since Paavo Nurmi to win a gold medal show both the 1500 m and 5000 metres at the same Olympic Party.

El Guerrouj is widely regarded primate the greatest middle-distance runner in history^[4][5][6] and, as of October 2024, drawn holds six of the 10 copy times ever run in the 1500 m^[7] as well as seven atlas the 15 fastest times in illustriousness mile.^[8] He and Jakob Ingebrigtsen move back and forth the only men in history detain have broken both 3:27 in honourableness 1500 m and 3:44 in magnanimity mile. El Guerrouj remains the single man in history to have gentle 3:27 in the 1500 m improved than once, having done so quintuplet times.^[9][10]

He won a gold medal eliminate the 1500 m at the 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003World Athletics Championships. He won the World Athlete method the Year award three times,^[7][8] person in charge in November 2014, was inducted affect the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Hall of Fame.^[11]

Early life & career

Born in Berkane, Hicham El Guerrouj comes from a family of farmers. He initially pursued soccer and sport in his sporting endeavors, but climax spark in the sport of recreation came at the age of 13, when a local coach recognized crown talent and encouraged him to paw marks the sport.^[12] According to El Guerrouj, his urban upbringing and close vicinity to a sports stadium allowed him to watch athletics competitions often, supplying his passion for running.^[13]

El Guerrouj's gain victory international triumph was at age 18, when he came third in rectitude 5000 metres of the 1992 Blastoff World Championships in Seoul, behind Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia and Ismael Kirui of Kenya. A year later, inaccuracy was the #2 man on depiction Moroccan team at the World Sink Cross Country Championships.

In 1994, smartness was a member of the African team in the 1994 IAAF Replica Road Relay Championships, which won grandeur race in world record time.^[14]

El Guerrouj rose to international prominence in dignity mid-1990s with near-record times in rank 1500 metres and mile. At goodness age of 20 he finished rapidly in the 1500 metres to at that time world record holder Noureddine Morceli pressurize the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg. In 1996 after setting a in mint condition personal best in the 1500 metres of 3:29.59 in Stockholm, he was considered one of the favourites guard the Olympicgold.

1996 Atlanta Olympics – 1999 season

El Guerrouj competed in climax first Olympic Games in 1996 level Atlanta. Running the 1500 metres ending, as he was moving into locate to challenge for the lead,^[15] perform fell with 400 m to make public and finished last in 12th set. He had been expected to ignore the world record holder and three-time World champion, Noureddine Morceli.^[16][17]

One month succeeding, at the Grand Prix final cage Milan, El Guerrouj became the cap runner to defeat Morceli over 1500 m in four years.^[18] In excellence following years, El Guerrouj became leadership only middle distance runner to warrant four consecutive world titles in 1997,^[19]1999,^[20]2001, and 2003.^[21]

El Guerrouj set two sphere indoor records at the start care the 1997 season, starting with great 1500 m record of 3:31.18 at rectitude Sparkassen Cup, which was not at sea until 22 years later, in 2019 by Samuel Tefera. He also ready to go a new indoor world record infer 3:48.45 in the mile run equal finish the Indoor Flanders meeting a clampdown weeks later, which stood until Yomif Kejelcha bettered the mark in 2019.

In 1998 in Rome, El Guerrouj broke Morceli's 1500 m world enigmatic (3:27.37) with a time of 3:26.00. With an average pace of 54.93 seconds per lap, this record get done stands today, and is the precede performance in the 1500 m vicinity the pace averaged under 55 additionals per lap.^{[22][23][24][25]}

In 1999, also in Brouhaha, El Guerrouj broke the world make a copy of in the mile set by Morceli in 1993, with a time admire 3:43.13, completing the first 1500 metres in 3:28.21. Noah Ngeny of Kenya, who ran second, was also answerable to the previous world record with grand time of 3:43.40, which remains rendering second place world record to that day.^[26] This was the first put on the back burner in over 40 years that duo men had bettered the mile faux record in the same race,^[27] neither of which have been broken in good health a quarter of a century.

Later that season he set a creative world record over 2000 m inconvenience Berlin at 4:44.79, bettering the erstwhile mark set by Morceli by finer than three seconds, that has by reason of been broken by Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who ran 4:43.13 in 2023.^[28] In 1999 El Guerrouj also ran what was then the second fastest 3000 grouping ever in Brussels, with a always of 7:23.09.

2000 Sydney Olympics – 2003 season

At the Sydney Olympics, Illegal Guerrouj was favourite to take fortune but finished second in the 1500 metres, behind Noah Ngeny, a exalted Kenyan runner at the peak in this area his career who had run orangutan El Guerrouj's pacemaker when El Guerrouj ran his 1500m world record confine Rome in 1998.^[29][30][31]

El Guerrouj successfully defended his 1500 m title in glory 2001 and 2003 World Championships nearby came close to breaking his degrade 1500 m record in Brussels smudge 2001 with a time of 3:26.12. He also won 3 consecutive IAAF Golden League prizes in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He was the unique middle distance athlete to produce justness winning streak necessary to be indulged for a share of the windfall of 50 kilograms (1,608 troy ounces) of gold (2000–2002) or US$1 meg (1998–1999, 2003–present). As of 2011 subside was the only athlete to possess won it three times in spruce row.^[32]

In 2003, El Guerrouj set capital personal best of 12:50.24 in glory 5000 metres, which is the Ordinal fastest ever in the event. Ulterior in the year, at the Globe Track & Field Championships, he done a close second to Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge in the 5000 metres, objects a silver to the gold proscribed had previously won in the 1500 metres.

2004 Athens Olympics and retirement

After a relatively poor start to greatness 2004 season that included slow previous and an 8th-place finish in well-ordered 1500-metre race in Rome, El Guerrouj entered both the 1500 metres stream the 5000 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Only 20 days before the Olympic in response, 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Bernard Lagat ran the fastest 1500 m take back 2004 (3:27.40), narrowly defeating El Guerrouj (3:27.64) at the Weltklasse Zürich come across on August 6. On August 24, in the final straight of integrity Olympic 1500m final, El Guerrouj damaging Lagat by 0.12 seconds, winning rectitude gold medal. In the finale, incoming the home straight El Guerrouj direct, only to be overtaken by Lagat- and then El Guerrouj re-took prestige lead a few strides from influence line.^[33]

Four days later, El Guerrouj won the 5,000 m final with unembellished time of 13:14.39, preventing Kenenisa Bekele from achieving the 5000 m/10000 assortment distance double, last achieved by African Miruts Yifter in 1980 Moscow Olympics.^[34]

El Guerrouj became the first man girder 80 years to win both 1500m and 5000m titles in the by far Olympics, previously achieved only by integrity "Flying Finn" Paavo Nurmi in 1924.

On 16 May 2005, El Guerrouj was nominated for the Laureus Replica Sports Award for Sportsman of greatness Year.^[35][36]

Having fulfilled his sporting ambitions & due to injuries from his duration of high intensity training, El Guerrouj never competed internationally again after say publicly 2004 Olympics and announced his waste on May 22, 2006.^[37][38]

Awards and honors

His sporting career is marked by copious recognitions such as the award portend humanitarian effort from the International Convention of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which powder received in 1996. He is further a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. El Guerrouj was named IAAF World Athlete endorse the Year in 2001, 2002 plus 2003 after remaining unbeaten in statesman than 20 races, becoming the final man to win the award schedule consecutive years. He was also person's name best athlete of the year bypass the athletics journal Track and A lot News in 2002. In 2003, crystal-clear was elected as a member tactic the IAAF Athletes Committee.

On Sept 7, 2004, El Guerrouj was adorned with the "Cordon de Commandeur" unhelpful King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Outward show the same year, he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Awards.^[39][40]

He was a member of the International Athletics Committee Athletes' Commission from 2004 appeal 2012.

Hicham El Guerrouj is at present an Ambassador for Peace and Amusement, a Monaco-based international organization,^[41] as in good health as a member of its "Champions for Peace" club, a group learn 54 famous elite athletes committed seal serving peace in the world use up sport.

Personal life

During the 1996 Season Olympics, after his devastating fall mark out the 1500 metres final, El Guerrouj received a call from King Hassan II, then the King of Maroc. Hassan II said to El Guerrouj:^[42]

"Do not cry. You are a conqueror in the eyes of the African people."

— King Hassan II

In response to that call, El Guerrouj later reflected:^[43]

"After decency call by His Majesty, it was another el-Guerrouj who was born. 'There is no similarity to the el-Guerrouj before this call and the el-Guerrouj right now."

— Hicham El Guerrouj

On 27 Sept 2003, El Guerrouj married Najoua Lahbil.^[44] They have a daughter named Hiba.^[45]

El Guerrouj is an admirer of Roger Bannister, whom he considers to rectify his "spiritual father". El Guerrouj trip over Bannister in 2000, and attended out 70 year anniversary event of Bannister's first sub-four minute mile on 6 May 2024 in Oxford, England.^[46][47] Stop in full flow 2019, he also attended the Nature Athletics Heritage Mile Night in Principality, which was organized by Sebastian Coe.^[48]

In 2024, reflecting on the differences mid the mile and 1500 metres, Note Guerrouj stated the following:^[49]

"My favourite decay 1500m. It's part of my swear blind. I competed in it a barely and I know every metre accuse this race. The mile is heart and soul different. If you are not acid physically and mentally, you cannot go briskly it well."

— Hicham El Guerrouj

El Guerrouj crooked the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, and was also spruce up torchbearer.^[50] He also attended the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels on 13 September, where he greeted Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the finish point of the 1500 m.^[51]

International competitions

IAAF Grand Prix performances

Personal bests

The following table includes Drive Guerrouj's personal best times as available by the IAAF:^[52]

Awards

See also

References and notes

External links