El
Guerrouj's recipe for success lies with mum's couscous
Pirate Irwin for AFP
17 August 1999 -Seville, Spain, - While some athletes rely on the gym and vitamin-based products to aid their success, Morocco's 1500m and mile world record-holder Hicham El Guerrouj bases his dominance in middle-distance running on his mother's couscous.
The 24-year-old, who is the reigning world 1500m champion and a two-time world indoor champion, believes the traditional Moroccan dish is worth more to him than any training regime.
"After a plate of my mother's couscous I feel a million dollars and ready for what the best in the world can throw at me. It is simple, but then I am a simple homegrown family-minded Moroccan boy," he said.
El Guerrouj, who has not looked back since he fell at the bell in the 1996 1500m Olympic final, has had a light season - forgoing the defence of his world indoor title and concentrating instead on the outdoor season.
He has remained unbeaten, and has now won 45 of his last 47 races at 1500m or a mile, the highlight being his epic mile world record in Rome last year, where he robbed former arch-rival Noureddine Morceli of another world mark.
"I didn't even realise what I had done until after I had crossed the line because I had Noah (Ngeny) on my shoulder and I was concentrating on just winning," he said.
El Guerrouj, who enjoys a friendly rivalry with Ngeny, has also appeared to benefit from an enforced absence with haemorrhoids, while Ngeny looks as if he has started to pay for a season that has seen him race 19 times.
The Moroccan returned to win easily in London on August 7 and then rubberstamped his dominance over Ngeny by crushing him in the 1500m at the Zurich Golden League meeting on August 11 in the fastest time of the season.
"That was important for me not only as a psychological blow before the world championships but because some people were suggesting that I was not the same athlete after my illness," he said.
The Ngeny camp may still cling onto hopes of ending El Guerrouj's reign at the world championships here but, aided by his mother's couscous, the Moroccan remains a firm favourite.
