El Guerrouj retires

Bob Ramsak, CASABLANCA, Morocco, 22-May-2006

Hicham El Guerrouj, the world record holder in the 1500m and the mile, announced his retirement from the sport at a press conference in Casablanca, Morocco, today.

Among the greatest athletes of his generation, the 31-year-old Moroccan was the dominant force in the 1500 meters and mile for the greater part of the past decade. Between 1996 and 2004, he won 84 of 89 1500 or mile races, won four world titles, and set world records in the 1500 and mile both indoors and outdoors, along with the fastest-ever 2000 meter performance.

Despite producing seven of history’s nine fastest 1500 meter performances, Olympic glory escaped him, first in 1996 when he tripped in the final and finished last, then again four years later in Sydney where, as the overwhelming favorite, he was outkicked by Kenyan Noah Ngeny.

After the two bitter disappointments, he finally struck Olympic gold on August 24, 2004 in Athens, reaching the finish in 3:34.18, 12/100s ahead of long-time rival Bernard Lagat. The moment he crossed the line, just a step ahead of Lagat, his hands covered his face, and when they dropped, he displayed to the world a look of shock, exuberance, relief and finally, humility. Four days later, he returned in the 5000, where in the Games’ clash of giants, he decisively beat 10,000 meter champion Kenenisa Bekele to become the first man to win the 1500 and 5000 in the same Olympics since Paavo Nurmi's double in 1924. After his second victory, El Guerrouj said, “In Sydney, I was crying like a child. Today, I am happy as a child."

Failing to find the necessary competitive desire and fire to continue after his historic Olympic double, El Guerrouj hasn’t raced since.

At Rome’s Golden Gala on July 14, 1998, El Guerrouj clocked 3:26.00 in the 1500, knocking a massive 1.37 seconds from the previous world record set by Noureddine Morceli almost exactly three years earlier. The following year, and again in Rome, he eclipsed Morceli’s world record in the mile, running 3:43.13. No one has come remotely close since. He has run 3:30.00 or better in the 1500 an astounding 34 times, and has recorded eight of the fastest 10 performances in the mile.

After his victories in Athens, El Guerrouj admitted his previous two failures to reach the top of the Olympic podium weighed heavily on his mind as he prepared for the competition. But a message he received from a friend shortly before the 1500 final, he said, gave him the boost he needed.

"Hicham, in 1997 Athens discovered a Prince,” his friend wrote, referring to his first world title. “In 2004, Athens will greet a King.". .