Noureddine Morceli facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 28 February 1970 Ténès, Algeria |
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| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Algeria |
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| Sport | Track | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 1500 metres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 800 metres: 1:44.79 1500 metres: 3:27.37 NR Mile: 3:44.39 NR 3000 metres: 7:25.11 5000 metres: 13:03.85 |
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Medal record
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Noureddine Morceli (Arabic: نور الدين مرسلي, Nūr ud-Dīn Mursilī; born February 28, 1970) is a famous retired runner from Algeria. He was one of the best middle-distance runners in the world. He won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in the 1500 metres race.
Morceli also won three gold medals in a row at the World Championships in Athletics. He set many world records in races like the 1500 metres, the mile, the 2000 metres, and the 3000 metres. At one point, he held six world records at the same time!
He also won gold medals at the Goodwill Games in 1994 and 1998. He was the Arab champion in the 1500 metres in 1988. Morceli also won the Millrose Games mile race in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, he won the 1500 metres at the 1994 IAAF World Cup and was the overall champion in the IAAF Grand Prix series. He was the Algerian national champion in the 1500 metres in 1989.
Contents
Noureddine Morceli: A Running Legend
Early Life and Training
Noureddine Morceli was born in Ténès, Algeria, on February 28, 1970. When he was seven years old, he was inspired by his older brother, Abderrahmane. His brother was also a world-class runner. Abderrahmane finished fourth in the 1500 metres at the 1977 World Cup. Later, his brother became Noureddine's coach.
In the early 1980s, Morceli looked up to Saïd Aouita. Aouita was a Moroccan runner who won a gold medal in the 5000 metres at the 1984 Olympic Games. By the age of 17, Morceli had already won a silver medal in the 1500 metres at the World Junior Championships.
A year later, he went to Riverside Community College in California, USA. This college was known for its great coaches and running facilities. He trained there for two years. By the end of his time there, he had run the fastest 1500 metres in the world for 1990.
Becoming a World Champion
By the age of 20, Morceli was ranked first in the world for the 1500 metres. In 1991, he broke the world indoor record for the 1500 metres in Seville, Spain. He set a new time of 3:34.16. Just nine days later, he won the 1500 metres title at the World Indoor Championships on the same track.
Throughout the 1991 outdoor season, Morceli was unbeatable in the 1500 metres. At the World Championships in Tokyo, he was a clear favorite. He won easily, setting a new championship record of 3:32.84. He finished with a two-second lead over the silver medalist.
In 1992, Morceli set a new 1000 metres indoor world record of 2:15.26. He was expected to win gold at the Olympic Games in Barcelona. However, the Olympic final was run at a very slow pace. This was not the kind of race Morceli was used to. When the final sprint began, he couldn't respond and finished seventh.
Just three days after the Olympics, Morceli set the world's best time for the season in Monaco. A week later, he improved his personal best in Zurich. In September 1992, Morceli set a new 1500 metres world record of 3:28.86 in Rieti, Italy.
Setting More World Records
In 1993, Morceli almost broke his own world record when he won the Mediterranean Games in Narbonne. He then aimed to break Steve Cram's eight-year-old record for the Mile race (3:46.32). He was almost unbeatable that season. At the World Championships in Stuttgart, he easily won the 1500 metres, keeping his world title.
After trying twice, he finally broke the Mile record. He ran an amazing time of 3:44.39. This was the first time anyone had run a mile at a speed of 16 miles per hour!
In 1994, Morceli set a new 3000 metres world record, finishing in 7:25.11. He also tried the 5000 metres race successfully. He won in Zurich and Rieti. His only loss that season was in an unusual 800 metres race in Cologne.
In 1995, Morceli broke the 2000 metres world record with a time of 4:47.88. Nine days later, he set the last world record of his amazing career. He lowered his own 1500 metres record to 3:27.37 in Nice, France. A few days after this, he almost broke the record again in Monaco. Later that year, he easily defended his 1500 metres World Champion title in Gothenburg.
Olympic Glory and Rivalries
At the start of the 1996 season, a new and strong opponent appeared: Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj. At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Morceli was under a lot of pressure. In the final, his main rival, Hicham El Guerrouj, fell down on the last lap. Morceli sped up and crossed the finish line first, winning the gold medal.
Later in 1996, Morceli lost a 1500 metres race to El Guerrouj in Milan. This was his first 1500 metres defeat in four years. At the 1997 World Championships in Athens, Morceli finished fourth in the 1500 metres. In 1999, in Seville, he reached his fifth straight 1500 metres final at a World Championships. However, he dropped out of the race before the end. Morceli's last major international competition was at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Life After Running
After retiring from running, Noureddine Morceli became an ambassador for the sport. He helps with the International Olympic Commission and the African Games. He also helps develop young track and field athletes in Algeria.
In January 2020, he was chosen to be the Secretary of State for Elite Sport in the Algerian government. This role helps support top athletes. He was replaced in June 2020 by another famous athlete, Judo champion Salima Souakri. Morceli was chosen for this role as an independent member, meaning he wasn't part of a political party.
Major International Competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
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| Representing Algeria |
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| 1988 | World Junior Championships | Sudbury, Canada | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:46.93 |
| 1991 | World Indoor Championships | Seville, Spain | 1st | 1500 m | 3:41.57 |
| World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 1st | 1500 m | 3:32.84 CR | |
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 7th | 1500 m | 3:41.70 |
| 1993 | World Championships | Stuttgart, Germany | 1st | 1500 m | 3:34.24 |
| 1995 | World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 1st | 1500 m | 3:33.73 |
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, United States | 1st | 1500 m | 3:35.78 |
| 1997 | World Championships | Athens, Greece | 4th | 1500 m | 3:37.37 |
| 1999 | World Championships | Seville, Spain | 12th | 1500 m | DNF |
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 24th (sf) | 1500 m | 4:00.78 |
