Full Name: Hicham El Guerrouj
Date of Birth: 14 th September, 1974
Country: Morocco
Sport involved in: Athletics
Achievements made:
Silver medalist in the 1500 meter event at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
Received the award to humanitarian effort from the IAAF in 1996
Gold medalist in the 1500 meter event at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics
Winner of the 1999 World Championships title in the 1500 meter event
Winner of silver medal in the 1500 meter event in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games
Gold medalist in the 1500 meter event at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics
Winner of gold medal in the 1500 meter event at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
Silver medalist in the 5000 meter event at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
Gold medalist in the 1500 meter and 5000 meter events in the 2004 Athens Summer Games
World record holder in the 1500 meter, 1 mile and 2000 meter events
Awarded the best athlete of the year by the IAAF in 2001 and 2002
Awarded the best athlete of the year by Track and Field News in 2002
Winner of three consecutive IAAF Golden League prizes in 2001, 2002 and 2003
Top of the world athletics list in 2003
Elected as a member of the IAAF Athletes Committee
Adorned with the “Cordon de Commandeur†by King Mohammed VI of Morocco in 2004
Holder of the post as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Career: Hicham El Guerrouj is a world famous middle distance runner. El Guerrouj holds the current world records in the 1500 meter, 1 mile and 2000 meter events. He is called the "King of the Mile" for his achievements in the field of athletics. In the 1992 Junior World Championships, El Guerrouj won bronze medal in the 5000 meter competition. This marked his first international victory. At the age of 20, Guerrouj participated in the 1995 World Championships in Athletics. In the competition, he won silver medal in the 1500 meter event. In 1996, he set his best time in the 1500 meter event with 3:29.15 seconds. El Guerrouj competed in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games . Though he was considered as one of the top contenders for the Olympic title, he could win the race. In the following years, El Guerrouj became the only middle distance runner to win four consecutive World Championships in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003. In 1998, El Guerrouj set the world record in the 1500 meter event with a timing of 3:26.00 seconds. He also set the world record time of 3:43.13 seconds in the 1 mile event in 1999. The same year, El Guerrouj made the world record in the 2000 meter event. He reached the finishing line in just 4:44.79 seconds. El Guerrouj ran the second fastest 3000 meter event in 1999 with a timing of 7:23.09 seconds. His personal best in the 5000 meter event is 12:50.24 seconds. At the 2000 Sydney Summer Games , El Guerrouj won silver medal in the 1500 meter event. In the 2004 Athens Olympics , he won the Olympic titles in both the 1500 meter and 5000 meter events. With his wins in the 2004 Games, El Guerrouj became the second person in the history of the Olympics to win both the races in a single Olympics. El Guerrouj is also the winner of three consecutive IAAF Golden League prizes in 2001, 2002 and 2003. El Guerrouj retired from the sport on 22 nd May in 2006.
Performance at the Olympics: Hicham El Guerrouj appeared at the Summer Games for the first time in 1996. In the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games , in spite of being the favorite, El Guerrouj met with an accident, a collision with his competitor Noureddine Morceli of Algeria. As a consequence, he finished the race in last place. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics , El Guerrouj finished with a silver medal position in the 1500 meter event. In the 2004 Athens Summer Games , in the 1500 meter event, El Guerrouj defeated Kenya's Bernard Lagat. He also won the 5000 meter event beating Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia.
