Hicham El Guerrouj

Hicham El Guerrouj (born 14 September 1974) is a retired Moroccan middle-distance runner who is the current world record holder in the 1500 metres, with the 3:26.00 he ran in Rome in 1998. His mile world record of 3:43.13, also set in Rome, in 1999, lasted for 27 years. At his first Olympic Games, Atlanta 1996, he fell with 400 m to go in the 1500 m final and finished last; at Sydney 2000 he was the favourite but finished second in the 1500 m behind Kenya's Noah Ngeny. At the 2004 Athens Olympics he became the first man since Paavo Nurmi to win gold medals in both the 1500 m and the 5000 metres at the same Games. He successfully defended his world 1500 m title at the 2001 and 2003 World Championships.