Hicham El Guerrouj (© Getty Images)
Hicham EL GUERROUJ (MAR)
Born: 14 September 1974, Berkane (in foothills of Atlas Mountains).
1500m
PB: 3:26.00 – World Record
Indoor: 3:31.18 – World Record
At Olympic Games: 1996-12th; 2000-2nd
At World Championships: 1995-1st; 1997-1st; 1999-1st; 2001-1st
At World Indoor Championships: 1995-1st; 1997-1st
Mile
PB: 3:43.13 – World Record
Indoor: 3:48.45 – World Record
2000m
PB: 4:44.79 – World Record
3000m
PB: 7:23.09
At World Indoor Championships: 2001-1st
5000m
PB: 13:46.79
At World Junior Championships: 1992-2nd
He won 61 of 64 races at 1500m or 1M 1996-2001. His only loses being when he fell just before the bell in the 1996 Olympic 1500m final, a loss in his last race of 1997 to Robert Andersen at 1M in the GP Final and second to Noah Ngeny in the 2000 Olympics. In 1998 he took 1.37 secs off Morceli’s 1500m WR with a majestic run at Rome on 14 July, and a year later added world records at 1M and 2000m and a superb World Championship win at 1500m. His unbeaten record in 1999 also included the second best ever 3000m time of 7:23.09 at Brussels in 1999, from a previous best of 7:49.84 (1994).