Hassiba Boulmerka facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's athletics | ||
Representing  Algeria |
||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1992 Barcelona | 1500 m |
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 1991 Tokyo | 1500 m |
| Gold | 1995 Gothenburg | 1500 m |
| Bronze | 1993 Stuttgart | 1500 m |
| Mediterranean Games | ||
| Gold | 1991 Athens | 800 m |
| Gold | 1991 Athens | 1500 m |
| Gold | 1993 Narbonne | 800 m |
| Silver | 1993 Narbonne | 1500 m |
| African Championships | ||
| Gold | 1989 Lagos | 1500 m |
| Gold | 1989 Lagos | 800 m |
| Gold | 1988 Annaba | 1500 m |
| Gold | 1988 Annaba | 800 m |
Hassiba Boulmerka (Arabic: حسيبة بولمرقة) is a famous former Algerian runner. She was born on July 10, 1968. Hassiba became a national hero when she won Algeria's first-ever Olympic gold medal. She achieved this amazing feat while facing many challenges.
Contents
Hassiba's Running Journey
Hassiba Boulmerka was born in Constantine, a city in northeastern Algeria. She started running seriously when she was just ten years old. She became very good at middle-distance races, especially the 800-meter and 1,500-meter events.
She won many races in Algeria and her region. However, there were not many strong competitors at that time. Her first big international competition was the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. There, she competed in both the 800-meter and 1,500-meter races. She did not make it past the early races, called preliminary heats.
Becoming a World Champion
Hassiba's running skills kept getting better over time. Her biggest moment came in 1991. She won a major 800-meter race called the Golden Gala in Rome. Just one month later, she went to the World Championships.
In the 1,500-meter final, she ran incredibly fast in the last part of the race. She sprinted to victory, winning the gold medal! This made her the first African woman to ever win a world title in track and field.
Overcoming Challenges
Hassiba's success brought her a lot of attention. However, some groups in Algeria criticized her because they thought her racing clothes showed too much. She even received threats and had to move to Europe to continue her training safely.
Despite these difficulties, she was a top favorite for the 1,500-meter gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. In the final race, she bravely pushed ahead of other strong runners like Lyudmila Rogachova and Qu Yunxia. Hassiba won the gold medal, making history for Algeria!
Later Career and Retirement
The next two seasons were a bit tougher for Hassiba. Still, she won a bronze medal at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart. In 1995, she had not won any races before the World Championships in Gothenburg. But she surprised everyone by winning her second world title!
This was her only victory that season and her last major win. She competed at the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta. Unfortunately, she hurt her ankle in the semi-finals. After the 1997 season, she decided to retire from competitive running.
Records and Recognition
Hassiba Boulmerka once held the African record for the 1,500 meters. Her best time was 3:55.30, which she ran in Barcelona in 1992. She also held the African record for the one mile race with a time of 4:20.79. This record stood for 17 years until Gelete Burika of Ethiopia broke it in 2008.
After her running career, Hassiba was chosen to be part of the Athletes' Commission for the International Olympic Committee. This group helps represent athletes' voices in the Olympic movement.
Life After Running
Hassiba Boulmerka has since returned to Algeria. She is now a successful businesswoman.
See also
In Spanish: Hassiba Boulmerka para niños
