© Stade de France ®
Macary, Zublena et Regembal
Costantini - Architects
ADAGP - Paris - 2002
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COMPETITION  PORTRAITS |
 INDEFATIGABLE EL GUERROUJ
Paris 2003 Saint-Denis
Hicham El Guerrouj clearly has his sights set on posterity. With the 1,500m gold safely pocketed, he is now going for an unprecedented double at the Stade de France®. Should he take a second title in the 5,000 metres, the Moroccan will secure his place as one of the greatest middle-distance runners ever.
Better than Morceli
The challenge facing El Guerrouj is awesome; no man in the history of the World Championships has ever won gold in both the 1,500 and 5,000 metres. And the only athlete to win Olympic titles at both disciplines was a certain Paavo Nurmi, back in 1924 in….Paris. Could that be an omen? The Moroccan would like to think so, and less than 24 hours after his thrilling victory over Mehdi Baala in the 1,500m is confident he has the legs to challenge over the 12½ lap distance. The tireless Moroccan has, after all, recorded the second fastest time this year (12:50.24 in June in Ostrava): “I’ve been preparing for this for a long time. I’m not running to make up the numbers. I’m out to win. "
Whatever happens in the 5,000m has already exceeded the achievements of his childhood hero Noureddine Morceli. The Algerian won World Championship 1,500 metres gold on three occasions. Wednesday night’s triumph in the Stade de France® made it four for El Guerrouj.
Who took my spikes?
When he was a teenager back home in Berkane, El Guerrouj would sneak off training with his brother’s spikes, and then hide them in the fridge when he got home so he wouldn’t find them! That perseverance certainly paid off. His has been a role model throughout his illustrious career, setting the world 1,500m best of 3:26.00 in July 1998, and adding the mile and 2,000 metres records to his name. Now 28, the only regret El Guerrouj can harbour is his performances so far at the Olympic Games. A fall in Atlanta let Morceli run away with gold and in Sydney he finished second behind Kenya’s Noah Ngeny.
The world record holder readily admits he fell into athletics “by chance” because his mother “didn’t want me to play football.” Football’s loss is athletics’ gain.
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