Moroccan rocket: Hicham El Guerrouj 

He is a world record holder in 1500 meters,1 mile race .He is an Olympic gold medalist, and has won world 1500 meters championship four times consecutively. And nowadays he hardly loses any race in 1500 category.

 Hicham El Guerrouj began to practice athletics in 1990 and in 1991 was chosen to train at the National Institute of Athletics in Rabat, Morocco, with his current and only coach Abdelkader Kada. He had a 1500 meters pr of 3:51 in 1991 and in 1992 he made his debut at the international level as a member of the Moroccan junior team for the 1992 world cross country championships, finishing 14th. That September he placed 3rd in the 5000 meters(13:46.79) at the world junior championships. In 1993 he did not compete because he was injured. During 1994 he took part in international races again, running a 3:33.61 for the 1500 meters.

In 1995 he rose to a higher level by winning the world indoor championships 1500 meters race and getting 2nd place in the 1500 meters at the world championships. He ran 3:31.16 for the 1500 meters and 3:48.69 for the mile that year. In 1996 he was on an unbeaten streak heading into the olympic 1500 meters final. With one lap to go in the race he fell and faded to finish last as Noureddine Morceli won the race, denying Hicham the olympic gold.After getting up and fininshing race last,he cried right there and with his tears falling he said that  i am gonna defeat Morceli and within few months he didi that . Hicham continued his season by winning all his next races, which included victories over Morceli and a 3:29.05 1500 meters. Early in the 1997 season he broke the world indoor records in the 1500 meters and the mile and then won the world indoor championships at 1500 meters. He continued the season by running 3:28.91 for 1500 meters, 3:44.90 for the mile and winning a world championship in the 1500 meters. His only loss that year came in the grand prix final to Robert Andersen.

1998 was another great year as he ran 3:26.00 for the 1500 meters, setting a world record. He also ran 3:44.60 for the mile and won the Iaaf Overall GP and Golden League Jackpot, with no losses that year. 1999 was a very fast year also as he ran 3:43.13 to break the world record in the mile. Then he won the world championships at 1500 meters, with a time of 3:27.65, a championship record. After that he ran a 3000 meter race in 7:23.09, 3 seconds off the world record. Finally he broke the world record in the 2000 meter race with a 4:44.79. He lost zero races that year.

The year 2000 was an olympic year and he ran a 3:27.21 1500 meters and 3:45.96 mile that year heading into the olympics. He ran in the olympic 1500 meters final but was outkicked by a slower rival, Noah Ngeny. Silver in an olympic final isn't that bad! He started 2001 off by running 8:09.89 in the indoor 2 mile race, barely off the world record. Then he won the 3000 meters world indoor championships race. His campaign continued as he ran 3:44.95 for the mile, won the world championships 1500 meters, and ran 3:26.12 for the 1500 meters. He won the Iaaf male athlete of the year award and was undefeated in 2001.

2002 was another excellent undefeated year and the highlights included him running 3:26.97 for the 1500 meters, 3:48.28 for the mile, and winning the Grand Prix Final. He also won the Iaaf male athlete of the year award and a share of the Golden League jackpot. In 2003 his lone indoor race was a 8:06.61 two mile, which was 2 seconds slower than the world record. He made his senior track 5000 meters debut by running a time of 12:50.24 but lost to a suprisingly fast Stephen Cherono. He won the 1500 meters world championship and took second in the 5000 meters at the world championships. He dominated the 1500 meters and had a seasons best of 3:28.40. At the end of the season he was sick and withdrew from the World Athletics Final but won the Iaaf male athlete of the year award for a third straight time. In September 2003 he won the 1500-meters world athletics championship for the 3^rd consecutive time and took silver medal in 5000-meters .BBC wrote “Hicham El Guerrouj confirmed his status as one of the all-time greats as he outclassed the opposition to win his fourth consecutive 1500m world title”.

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