Hicham El Guerrouj facts for kids
El Guerrouj in 2010
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 14 September 1974 Berkane, Morocco |
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| Height | 176 cm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 58 kg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Morocco | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 1500 metres, mile, 2000 metres, 5000 metres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1994 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World finals | 1995 Göteborg 1500 m  Silver
5000 m Silver |
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| Olympic finals | 1996 Atlanta 1500 m, 12th 2000 Sydney 1500 m Silver
5000 m  Gold |
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| Personal best(s) |
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Medal record
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Hicham El Guerrouj (born September 14, 1974) is a famous retired runner from Morocco. Many people consider him the greatest middle-distance runner ever. He holds the current world records for the 1500 metres and the mile races.
El Guerrouj is also the only man since Paavo Nurmi to win gold medals in both the 1500 m and 5000 metres at the same Olympic Games. He has won many awards, including the World Athlete of the Year three times. In 2014, he joined the IAAF Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Running
Hicham El Guerrouj was born in Berkane, Morocco, into a family of farmers. When he was younger, he enjoyed playing soccer and basketball. However, his true passion for running began at age 13.
A local coach noticed his natural talent and encouraged him to focus on athletics. El Guerrouj often watched running competitions near his home. This helped him fall in love with the sport.
First Big Races
El Guerrouj's first international success came at 18. He finished third in the 5000 metres at the 1992 Junior World Championships in South Korea. A year later, he was a key runner for Morocco at the World Junior Cross Country Championships.
In 1994, he helped the Moroccan team win a world record in a relay race. By the mid-1990s, El Guerrouj was becoming very well-known. He ran incredibly fast times in the 1500 metres and mile races.
At just 20 years old, he won a silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 1995 World Championships. He finished second to the world record holder, Noureddine Morceli.
Olympic Challenges and World Records
El Guerrouj competed in his first Olympic Games in 1996 in Atlanta. He was a favorite to win the 1500 metres gold medal. However, he sadly fell during the final lap and finished last.
Just one month later, El Guerrouj showed his strength. He became the first runner to beat Morceli in the 1500 m in four years. After this, El Guerrouj went on to win four world titles in a row. He won in 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003.
Setting New Records
In 1997, El Guerrouj set two new world indoor records. He ran the 1500 m in 3:31.18, a record that stood for 22 years. A few weeks later, he set a new indoor mile record of 3:48.45. This record also lasted for many years.
In 1998, in Rome, El Guerrouj broke Morceli's 1500 m world record. He ran it in an amazing 3:26.00. This record still stands today and is the fastest 1500 m ever run.
A year later, also in Rome, El Guerrouj broke the world record for the mile. He ran it in 3:43.13. Another runner, Noah Ngeny, also ran faster than the old record in the same race. This was the first time in over 40 years that two men broke the mile world record in the same race.
Later in 1999, he set a new world record for the 2000 m race. He ran it in 4:44.79. This record was later broken in 2023.
Olympic Glory and Retirement
At the Sydney Olympics, El Guerrouj was expected to win gold in the 1500 metres. However, he finished second to Noah Ngeny of Kenya. Ngeny had previously helped El Guerrouj as a pacemaker.
El Guerrouj continued his winning streak in the World Championships. He won the 1500 m title again in 2001 and 2003. He also won the IAAF Golden League prize three times in a row. This prize is given to athletes who win all their races in a series.
In 2003, El Guerrouj ran his fastest 5000 metres race. He finished second in the 5000 metres at the World Track & Field Championships. This was a silver medal to go with his gold in the 1500 metres.
Athens 2004: Double Gold
In 2004, El Guerrouj decided to compete in both the 1500 metres and the 5000 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. He had a tough start to the season, but he was determined.
In the 1500 m final, El Guerrouj had a thrilling race. He beat Bernard Lagat by a tiny amount, winning the gold medal. Just four days later, he won his second gold medal in the 5000 m final. He stopped Kenenisa Bekele from winning both the 5000 m and 10000 m races.
El Guerrouj became the first man in 80 years to win both the 1500 m and 5000 m titles at the same Olympics. Only the legendary "Flying Finn" Paavo Nurmi had done this before, in 1924.
After achieving his big goals and dealing with injuries, El Guerrouj stopped competing internationally. He officially announced his retirement on May 22, 2006.
Awards and Honors
Hicham El Guerrouj has received many awards for his amazing career.
- In 1996, he received an award for his humanitarian efforts from the IAAF.
- He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
- El Guerrouj was named IAAF World Athlete of the Year in 2001, 2002, and 2003. He was the first man to win this award three years in a row.
- In 2003, he became a member of the IAAF Athletes Committee.
- On September 7, 2004, King Mohammed VI of Morocco honored him.
- He also received the Prince of Asturias Awards in the same year.
- From 2004 to 2012, he was part of the International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission.
- Today, Hicham El Guerrouj is an Ambassador for Peace and Sport. This group works to promote peace through sports.
Personal Life
After his fall at the 1996 Olympics, El Guerrouj received a special phone call. It was from King Hassan II, who was the King of Morocco at the time.
"Do not cry. You are a champion in the eyes of the Moroccan people."
El Guerrouj later said that this call changed him. He felt like a new person after hearing the King's words.
On September 27, 2003, El Guerrouj married Najoua Lahbil. They have a daughter named Hiba.
El Guerrouj looks up to Roger Bannister, who was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. El Guerrouj calls Bannister his "spiritual father." He has met Bannister and attended events celebrating his achievements.
In 2024, El Guerrouj talked about the 1500 metres and the mile.
"My favourite is 1500m. It's part of my heart. I competed in it a lot and I know every metre of this race. The mile is completely different. If you are not strong physically and mentally, you cannot run it well."
El Guerrouj attended the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics. He was also a torchbearer.
International Competitions
Here are some of Hicham El Guerrouj's major results representing Morocco:
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Morocco |
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| 1992 | World Junior Championships | Seoul, South Korea | 3rd | 5000 m | 13:46.79 |
| 1995 | World Indoor Championships | Barcelona, Spain | 1st | 1500 m | 3:44.54 |
| World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:35.28 | |
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, United States | 12th | 1500 m | 3:40.75 |
| 1997 | World Indoor Championships | Paris, France | 1st | 1500 m | 3:35.31 |
| World Championships | Athens, Greece | 1st | 1500 m | 3:35.83 | |
| 1999 | World Championships | Seville, Spain | 1st | 1500 m | 3:27.65 CR |
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:32.32 |
| 2001 | World Indoor Championships | Lisbon, Portugal | 1st | 3000 m | 7:37.74 |
| World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 1st | 1500 m | 3:30.68 | |
| 2003 | World Championships | Paris, France | 1st | 1500 m | 3:31.77 |
| 2nd | 5000 m | 12:52.83 | |||
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 1st | 1500 m | 3:34.18 |
| 1st | 5000 m | 13:14.39 | |||
Personal Bests
The table below shows El Guerrouj's fastest times in different races. "WR" means World Record.
| Distance | Time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800 metres | 1:47.18 | 2 June 1995 | Turin | |
| 1000 metres | 2:16.85 | 12 July 1995 | Nice | |
| 1500 metres | 3:26.00 | 14 July 1998 | Rome | WR |
| Indoor 1500 metres | 3:31.18 | 2 February 1997 | Stuttgart | 3rd all time |
| Mile | 3:43.13 | 7 July 1999 | Rome | WR |
| Indoor mile | 3:48.45 | 12 February 1997 | Ghent | 3rd all time |
| 2000 metres | 4:44.79 | 7 September 1999 | Berlin | 2nd all time |
| 3000 metres | 7:23.09 | 3 September 1999 | Brussels | 4th all time |
| Indoor 3000 metres | 7:33.73 | 23 February 2003 | Liévin | |
| Indoor 2 miles | 8:06.61 | 23 February 2003 | 9th all time | |
| 5000 metres | 12:50.24 | 12 March 2003 | Ostrava | |
| Ekiden | 1:57:56 | 17 April 1994 | Litochoro |
Awards
- World Athlete of the Year: 2001, 2002, 2003
- Track & Field News Athlete of the Year: 1999, 2001, 2002
- L'Équipe Champion of Champions: 2005
- IAAF Hall of Fame: 2014
See also
In Spanish: Hicham El Guerrouj para niños
- 1500 metres world record progression
- Mile run world record progression
