View source for Hicham El Guerrouj

{{short description|Moroccan middle-distance runner (born 1974)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Hicham El Guerrouj
| image = Hicham El Guerrouj cropped.jpg
| imagesize = 
| caption = El Guerrouj in 2010
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|09|14|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Hicham El Guerrouj |url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/morocco/hicham-el-guerrouj-9824 |website=iaaf.org |publisher=[[International Association of Athletics Federations]] |access-date=9 February 2014}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Berkane]], Morocco<ref name="sports-reference.com"/>
| height = 176 cm<ref name="sports-reference.com">{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Hicham El Guerrouj |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/el/hicham-el-guerrouj-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171531/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/el/hicham-el-guerrouj-1.html |archive-date=17 April 2020 |access-date=11 April 2020}}</ref>
| weight = 58 kg<ref name="sports-reference.com"/>
| country = [[Morocco]]
| sport = [[Track and field#Running|Track]]
| event = [[1500 metres]], [[Mile run|mile]], [[2000 metres]],  [[5000 metres]]
| club = 
| turnedpro = 1994
| retired = 2004
| worlds = '''1995 Göteborg''' <br /> 1500 m {{silver medal}} <br /> '''1997 Athens''' <br /> 1500 m {{gold medal}} <br /> '''1999 Seville''' <br /> 1500 m {{gold medal}} <br /> '''2001 Edmonton''' <br /> 1500 m {{gold medal}} <br /> '''2003 Paris''' <br /> 1500 m {{gold medal}} <br /> 5000 m {{silver medal}}
| olympics = '''1996 Atlanta''' <br /> 1500 m, 12th <br /> '''2000 Sydney''' <br /> 1500 m {{silver medal}} <br /> '''2004 Athens''' <br /> 1500 m {{gold medal}} <br /> 5000 m {{gold medal}}
| pb = {{ubl
 |'''''Outdoors'''''
 |'''[[1500 metres|1500&nbsp;m]]''': 3:26.00 '''{{AthAbbr|WR}}''' ([[Rome]] 1998)
 |'''[[Mile run|Mile]]''': 3:43.13 '''{{AthAbbr|WR}}''' ([[Rome]] 1999)
 |'''[[2000 metres|2000 m]]''': 4:44.79 '''{{AthAbbr|AR|African}}''' ([[Berlin]] 1999)
 |'''[[3000 metres|3000 m]]''': 7:23.09 '''{{AthAbbr|NR|Moroccan}}''' ([[Brussels]] 1999)
 |'''[[5000 metres|5000&nbsp;m]]''': 12:50.24 ([[Ostrava]] 2003)
 |'''''Indoors'''''
 |'''[[1500 metres|1500&nbsp;m]]''': 3:31.18{{AthAbbr|i}} ([[Stuttgart]] 1997)
 |'''[[Mile run|Mile]]''': 3:48.45{{AthAbbr|i}} ([[Ghent]] 1997)
 |'''[[3000 metres|3000 m]]''': 7:33.73{{AthAbbr|+}}{{AthAbbr|i}} ([[Liévin]] 2003)
 |'''[[Two Miles]]''': 8:06.61{{AthAbbr|i}} ([[Liévin]] 2003)
 }}
| coaching = 
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country | {{MAR}} }}
{{MedalCount
|[[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|2|1|0
|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]|4|2|0
|[[IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]|3|0|0
|'''Total'''|'''9'''|'''3'''|'''0'''
}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]| [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]| [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres|5000 m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]]| [[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1997 World Championships in Athletics|1997 Athens]]|[[1997 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics|1999 Sevilla]]|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2001 World Championships in Athletics|2001 Edmonton]]|[[2001 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics|2003 Paris]]|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 Gothenburg]]|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics|2003 Paris]]|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres|5000 m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics|World Indoor Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1995 Barcelona]]|1500 m}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1997 Paris]]|1500 m}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2001 Lisbon]]|[[2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 3000 metres|3000 m]]}}
| updated = 
}}

'''Hicham El Guerrouj''' ({{langx|ar|هشام الݣروج}}; {{langx|ber|ⵀⵉⵛⴰⵎ ⵍⴳⵔⵔⵓⵊ|Hisham El Gerruj}}; born 14 September 1974) is a retired Moroccan [[middle-distance runner]]. El Guerrouj is the current [[World records in athletics|world record]] holder for the [[1500 metres]] and [[Mile run|mile]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hicham EL GUERROUJ {{!}} Profile {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/morocco/hicham-el-guerrouj-14212038 |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref> and the former world record holder in the [[2000 metres]]. He is the only man since [[Paavo Nurmi]] to win a gold medal in both the 1500 m and [[5000 metres]] at the same [[Summer Olympic Games|Olympic Games]].

El Guerrouj is widely regarded as the greatest middle-distance runner in history<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/04/sports/olympics-the-king-of-the-mile.html |title=El Guerrouj: the King of the Mile |website=[[The New York Times]]|date=4 May 2000 |last1=Longman |first1=Jere }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/news/el-guerrouj-the-greatest-of-all-time |title=El Guerrouj: the greatest of all time |website=iaaf.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/el-guerrouj-confirms-his-retirement-1.1298462 |title=El Guerrouj confirms his retirement |newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref> and, as of October 2024, still holds six of the 10 fastest times ever run in the 1500 m<ref name="All-time men's best 1500 m">{{cite web |url=https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/1500-metres/all/men/senior?regionType=world&page=1&bestResultsOnly=false |title=All-time men's best 1500 m |publisher=IAAF |access-date=October 18, 2018}}</ref> as well as seven of the 15 fastest times in the mile.<ref name="worldathletics.org">{{cite web |title=All-time best one mile men |url=https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/one-mile/all/men/senior?regionType=world&page=1&bestResultsOnly=false |publisher=IAAF}}</ref> He and [[Jakob Ingebrigtsen]] are the only men in history to have broken both 3:27 in the 1500 m and 3:44 in the mile. El Guerrouj remains the only man in history to have broken 3:27 in the 1500 m more than once, having done so five times.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1500 Metres - men - senior - all |url=https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/1500-metres/all/men/senior |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=One Mile - men - senior - all |url=https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/one-mile/all/men/senior |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref>

He won a gold medal in the 1500 m at the [[1997 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1997]], [[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1999]], [[2001 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|2001]], and [[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|2003]] [[World Athletics Championships]]. He won the [[World Athlete of the Year]] award three times,<ref name="All-time men's best 1500 m"/><ref name="worldathletics.org"/> and in November 2014, was inducted into the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF) [[IAAF Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/hall-of-fame-2014-inductees |title=IAAF: Twelve athletics legends inducted into IAAF Hall of Fame |website=iaaf.org}}</ref>

==Early life & career==
Born in [[Berkane]], Hicham El Guerrouj comes from a family of farmers. He initially pursued soccer and basketball in his sporting endeavors, but his spark in the sport of athletics came at the age of 13, when a local coach recognized his talent and encouraged him to pursue the sport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |first=Runnerstribe |date=2023-05-27 |title=Hicham El Guerrouj Journey to Middle-Distance Greatness |url=https://runnerstribe.com/features/hicham-el-guerrouj-journey-to-middle-distance-greatness/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=Runner's Tribe |language=en-AU}}</ref> According to El Guerrouj, his urban upbringing and close proximity to a sports stadium allowed him to watch athletics competitions often, fueling his passion for running.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A decade after retirement, El Guerrouj still has Midas touch in inspiring future generation {{!}} FEATURE {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/feature/hicham-el-guerrouj-retirement-kids-athletics |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref>

El Guerrouj's first international triumph was at age 18, when he came third in the [[5000 metres]] of the [[1992 World Junior Championships in Athletics|1992 Junior World Championships]] in Seoul, behind [[Haile Gebrselassie]] of Ethiopia and [[Ismael Kirui]] of [[Kenya]].  A year later, he was the #2 man on the Moroccan team at the [[1993 IAAF World Cross Country Championships – Junior men's race|World Junior Cross Country Championships]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In 1994, he was a member of the Moroccan team in the [[1994 IAAF World Road Relay Championships]], which won the race in world record time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arrs.run/HP_WChRy.htm |title=untitled |website=www.arrs.run}}</ref>

El Guerrouj rose to international prominence in the mid-1990s with near-record times in the [[1500 metres]] and mile. At the age of 20 he finished second in the 1500 metres to then world record holder [[Noureddine Morceli]] at the [[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 World Championships]] in Gothenburg. In 1996 after setting a new personal best in the 1500 metres of 3:29.59 in [[Stockholm]], he was considered one of the favourites for the [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] [[gold medal|gold]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

==1996 Atlanta Olympics – 1999 season==
El Guerrouj competed in his first Olympic Games in 1996 at [[1996 Summer Olympics|Atlanta]]. Running the 1500 metres final, as he was moving into position to challenge for the lead,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_i9q-Djy-M |title=Atlanta Olympics 1996 - Men's 1500m |date=14 November 2006 |via=YouTube}}</ref> he fell with 400 m to go and finished last in 12th place. He had been expected to challenge the world record holder and three-time [[World champion]], [[Noureddine Morceli]].<ref>1996 Atlanta Olympics sporting-heroes.net: [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1529 El Guerrouj fell to the ground]</ref><ref>1996 Atlanta Olympics YouTube video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_i9q-Djy-M Atlanta Olympics 1996 - Men's 1500m] final</ref>

One month later, at the Grand Prix final in Milan, El Guerrouj became the first runner to defeat Morceli over 1500 m in four years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wls3.com/running/elg.php |title=Marco Veledíaz - Training of the Maroccan World Class Athletes |access-date=3 July 2013 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210141511/http://wls3.com/running/elg.php |archive-date=10 February 2007}}</ref> In the following years, El Guerrouj became the only middle distance runner to win four consecutive [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|world titles]] in [[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1997]],<ref>YouTube video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31jDFM8Asxs 1500m final] - 1997 World Championships</ref> [[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|1999]],<ref>YouTube video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh5vPyFwX14 1500m final] - 1999 World Championships</ref> [[2001 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|2001]], and [[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres|2003]].<ref>YouTube video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYtWJNb2hYM 1500m final] - 2003 World Championships</ref>

El Guerrouj set two [[List of indoor world records in athletics|world indoor records]] at the start of the 1997 season, starting with a 1500&nbsp;m record of 3:31.18 at the [[Sparkassen Cup (athletics)|Sparkassen Cup]], which was not beaten until 22 years later, in 2019 by [[Samuel Tefera]]. He also set a new indoor world record of 3:48.45 in the mile run at the [[Indoor Flanders meeting]] a few weeks later, which stood until [[Yomif Kejelcha]] bettered the mark in 2019.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In 1998 in [[Rome]], El Guerrouj broke Morceli's 1500 m world record (3:27.37) with a time of 3:26.00. With an average pace of 54.93 seconds per lap, this record still stands today, and is the first performance in the 1500 m where the pace averaged under 55 seconds per lap.<ref>YouTube video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eJZA-V9U9Y Hicham El Guerrouj sets a new world record at 1500m] in 1998</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/toplists/textfiles/season=0/gender=M/inout=O/ageGroup=N/legal=A/discipline=1500/textfile.txt |title=IAAF: 60 Metres |website=iaaf.org}}</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130730205906/http://athletix.org/?p=594 World Record progression of men 1500m]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pace Calculator |url=https://www.calculator.net/pace-calculator.html?ctime=3:26.00&cdistance=0.4&cdistanceunit=Kilometers&cpickevent=&cpace=3:41.02&cpaceunit=tpm&ctype=time&x=Calculate |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=www.calculator.net}}</ref>

In 1999, also in Rome, El Guerrouj broke the world record in the [[Mile run|mile]] set by Morceli in 1993, with a time of 3:43.13, completing the first 1500 metres in 3:28.21. [[Noah Ngeny]] of Kenya, who ran second, was also under the previous world record with a time of 3:43.40, which remains the second place world record to this day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=One Mile - men - senior - all |url=https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/one-mile/all/men/senior |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref> This was the first time in over 40 years that two men had bettered the mile world record in the same race,<ref>YouTube video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvCsj7eJKKA&eurl= Hicham El Guerrouj sets a world record in the mile] in 1999</ref> neither of which have been broken in a quarter of a century.

Later that season he set a new world record over [[2000 m]] in [[Berlin]] at 4:44.79, bettering the previous mark set by Morceli by more than three seconds, that has since been broken by [[Jakob Ingebrigtsen]], who ran 4:43.13 in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2000 Metres - men - senior - all |url=https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/2000-metres/all/men/senior |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref> In 1999 El Guerrouj also ran what was then the second fastest [[3000 m]] ever in [[Brussels]], with a time of 7:23.09.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

==2000 Sydney Olympics – 2003 season==
At the [[2000 Summer Olympics|Sydney Olympics]], El Guerrouj was favourite to take gold but finished second in the 1500 metres, behind [[Noah Ngeny]], a talented Kenyan runner at the peak of his career who had run as El Guerrouj's pacemaker when El Guerrouj ran his 1500m world record in Rome in 1998.<ref>2000 Sydney Olympics YouTube video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUH0Hp_sv0w Men's 1500m]</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/sydney/story/0,,375521,00.html El Guerrouj, a picture of despair], [[The Guardian]], 30 Sep 2000</ref><ref>[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics/kenya/noah-ngeny-1207/olympic-gold-at-1500-metres_a09288/ Noah Ngeny - Kenya - Olympic gold at 1500 metres], sporting-heroes.net</ref>

El Guerrouj successfully defended his 1500 m title in the [[2001 World Championships in Athletics|2001]] and [[2003 World Championships in Athletics|2003 World Championships]] and came close to breaking his own 1500 m record in [[Brussels]] in 2001 with a time of 3:26.12. He also won 3 consecutive [[IAAF Golden League]] prizes in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He was the only [[Middle distance track event|middle distance]] athlete to produce the winning streak necessary to be entitled for a share of the jackpot of 50 kilograms (1,608 troy ounces) of [[gold]] (2000–2002) or US$1 million (1998–1999, 2003–present). As of 2011 he was the only athlete to have won it three times in a row.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Akyeampong | first1=E.K. | last2=Gates | first2=P.H.L. | title=Dictionary of African Biography | publisher=OUP USA | issue=v. 1-6 | year=2012 | isbn=978-0-19-538207-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=39JMAgAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA290 | access-date=2023-09-11 | page=1-PA290}}</ref>

In 2003, El Guerrouj set a personal best of 12:50.24 in the [[5000 metres]], which is the 26th fastest ever in the event. Later in the year, at the [[2003 World Championships in Athletics|World Track & Field Championships]], he finished a close second to Kenyan [[Eliud Kipchoge]] in the 5000 metres, adding a silver to the gold he had previously won in the 1500 metres.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

==2004 Athens Olympics and retirement==
[[File:Carlos ga...jpg|thumb|right|El Guerrouj and Carlos García at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens]]
After a relatively poor start to the 2004 season that included slow times and an 8th-place finish in a 1500-metre race in Rome, El Guerrouj entered both the 1500 metres and the 5000 metres at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in [[Athens]], Greece.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Only 20 days before the Olympic final, 2000 Olympic bronze medalist [[Bernard Lagat]] ran the fastest 1500 m in 2004 (3:27.40), narrowly defeating El Guerrouj (3:27.64) at the [[Weltklasse Zürich]] meet on August 6. On August 24, in the final straight of the Olympic 1500m final, El Guerrouj beat Lagat by 0.12 seconds, winning the gold medal. In the finale, entering the home straight El Guerrouj led, only to be overtaken by Lagat- and then El Guerrouj re-took the lead a few strides from the line.<ref>2004 Athens Olympics YouTube video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge6_o4SkQGg Men's 1500m final]</ref>

Four days later, El Guerrouj won the 5,000 m final with a time of 13:14.39, preventing [[Kenenisa Bekele]] from achieving the 5000 m/10000 m distance double, last achieved by Ethiopian [[Miruts Yifter]] in [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Moscow Olympics]].<ref>2004 Athens Olympics YouTube video:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a78SssRsms Men's 5000m final]</ref>

El Guerrouj became the first man in 80 years to win both 1500m and 5000m titles in the same Olympics, previously achieved only by the "[[Flying Finn]]" [[Paavo Nurmi]] in 1924.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

On 16 May 2005, El Guerrouj was nominated for the [[Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Laureus World Sportsman of the Year 2005 nominees |url=http://laureus17.laureus.com/awards-history/2005/nominees/sportsman/#tab-container |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215211846/http://laureus17.laureus.com/awards-history/2005/nominees/sportsman/#tab-container |archive-date=15 February 2017 |access-date=18 October 2017 |publisher=Laureus |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2005 |title=More glory for Athens star Holmes |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/4551921.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061222195414/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/4551921.stm |archive-date=22 December 2006 |access-date=18 October 2017 |publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref>

Having fulfilled his sporting ambitions & due to injuries from his years of high intensity training, El Guerrouj never competed internationally again after the 2004 Olympics and announced his retirement on May 22, 2006.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/sports/el-guerrouj-retires-from-track-1.595726 ''El Guerrouj retires from track''] - cbc.ca</ref><ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=34753.html ''King of Middle Distance, Hicham El Guerrouj retires''] - IAAF</ref>

==Awards and honors==
His sporting career is marked by numerous recognitions such as the award for [[Humanitarianism|humanitarian effort]] from [[IAAF|the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)]], which he received in 1996. He is also a [[List of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors|UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador]]. El Guerrouj was named [[IAAF World Athlete of the Year]] in 2001, 2002 and 2003 after remaining unbeaten in more than 20 races, becoming the first man to win the award in consecutive years. He was also named best athlete of the year by the athletics journal ''[[Track and Field News]]'' in 2002. In 2003, he was elected as a member of the [[IAAF]] Athletes Committee.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

On September 7, 2004, El Guerrouj was decorated with the "Cordon de Commandeur" by [[Mohammed VI of Morocco|King Mohammed VI of Morocco]]. In the same year, he was awarded the [[Prince of Asturias Awards]].<ref>[http://www.fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/ing/13/antiguos/boletin_15/noticias/noticia86.html ''Thousands of asturian children of all ages to join Hicham El Guerrouj in a race for peace''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926224255/http://www.fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/ing/13/antiguos/boletin_15/noticias/noticia86.html |date=2007-09-26 }} - fundacionprincipedeasturias.org</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hicham El Guerrouj, Prince of Asturias Award for Sports 2004 |url=https://www.fpa.es/en/princess-of-asturias-awards/laureates/2004-hicham-el-guerrouj.html |access-date=27 October 2019 |publisher=Prince of Asturias Foundation}}</ref>

He was a member of the [[List of members of the International Olympic Committee|International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission]] from 2004 to 2012.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Hicham El Guerrouj is today an Ambassador for [[Peace and Sport]], a [[Monaco]]-based international organization,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.peace-sport.org/ |title=Peace and Sport |website=www.peace-sport.org}}</ref> as well as a member of its "Champions for Peace" club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport.

== Personal life ==
During the [[1996 Summer Olympics]], after his devastating fall in the [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 metres final]], El Guerrouj received a call from [[Hassan II of Morocco|King Hassan II]], then the [[King of Morocco]]. Hassan II said to El Guerrouj:<ref>{{Cite web |title=A decade after retirement, El Guerrouj still has Midas touch in inspiring future generation {{!}} FEATURE {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/feature/hicham-el-guerrouj-retirement-kids-athletics |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref>

{{Quote|text="Do not cry. You are a champion in the eyes of the Moroccan people."|source=[[King Hassan II]]}}

In response to this call, El Guerrouj later reflected:<ref>{{Cite news |last=Longman |first=Jere |date=1997-08-07 |title=An Olympic Fall Lifts Moroccan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/07/sports/an-olympic-fall-lifts-moroccan.html |access-date=2024-07-08 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

{{Quote|text="After the call by His Majesty, it was another el-Guerrouj who was born. 'There is no similarity to the el-Guerrouj before this call and the el-Guerrouj right now."|source=Hicham El Guerrouj}}

On 27 September 2003, El Guerrouj married Najoua Lahbil.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hicham El Guerrouj marries {{!}} NEWS {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/news/hicham-el-guerrouj-marries |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref> They have a daughter named Hiba.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A decade after retirement, El Guerrouj still has Midas touch in inspiring future generation {{!}} FEATURE {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/feature/hicham-el-guerrouj-retirement-kids-athletics |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref> 

El Guerrouj is an admirer of [[Roger Bannister]], whom he considers to be his "spiritual father". El Guerrouj met Bannister in 2000, and attended a 70 year anniversary event of Bannister's first sub-four minute mile on 6 May 2024 in [[Oxford|Oxford, England]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-06 |title=El Guerrouj: "Ingebrigtsen can break my records (but I'd rather he didn't!)" |url=https://athleticsweekly.com/interviews/el-guerrouj-ingebrigtsen-can-break-my-records-but-id-rather-he-didnt-1039988990/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=AW |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dickinson |first=Marley |date=2024-05-06 |title=World record holder celebrates Bannister's sub-four mile, 70 years ago today |url=https://runningmagazine.ca/the-scene/world-record-holder-celebrates-bannisters-sub-four-mile-70-years-ago-today/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=Canadian Running Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2019, he also attended the World Athletics Heritage Mile Night in Monaco, which was organized by [[Sebastian Coe]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bannister and Charles among the honourees at World Athletics Heritage Mile Night celebration {{!}} PRESS-RELEASE {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/press-release/bannister-charles-honoured-heritage-mile-nigh |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref>

In 2024, reflecting on the differences between the mile and 1500 metres, El Guerrouj stated the following:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-06 |title=El Guerrouj: "Ingebrigtsen can break my records (but I'd rather he didn't!)" |url=https://athleticsweekly.com/interviews/el-guerrouj-ingebrigtsen-can-break-my-records-but-id-rather-he-didnt-1039988990/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=AW |language=en-GB}}</ref>

{{Quote|text="My favourite is 1500m. It's part of my heart. I competed in it a lot and I know every metre of this race. The mile is completely different. If you are not strong physically and mentally, you cannot run it well."|source=Hicham El Guerrouj}}El Guerrouj attended the opening ceremony of the [[2024 Summer Olympics]], and was also a torchbearer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C974gIPoGHq/?hl=en&img_index=1 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> He also attended the 2024 Wanda [[Diamond League]] Final in [[Memorial Van Damme|Brussels]] on 13 September, where he greeted [[Jakob Ingebrigtsen]] at the finish line of the 1500 m.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_QnJun2nOk |title=Jakob Ingebrigtsen bests Timothy Cheruiyot, Cole Hocker in 1500m at Diamond League {{!}} NBC Sports |date=2024-09-13 |last=NBC Sports |access-date=2024-09-14 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

==International competitions==

{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes|Result=yes|NotesOff=yes}}
|-
!colspan="6"|Representing {{MAR}}
|-
|1992
|[[1992 World Junior Championships in Athletics|World Junior Championships]]
|[[Seoul]], South Korea
|bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd
|5000 m
|13:46.79
|-
|rowspan=2|1995
|[[1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Barcelona]], Spain
|style="background:gold;"|1st
|1500 m
|3:44.54
|-
|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Gothenburg]], Sweden
| style="background:silver;"|2nd
|1500 m
|3:35.28
|-
|1996
|[[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Atlanta]], United States
|12th
|1500 m
|3:40.75
|-
|rowspan=2|1997
|[[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Paris]], France
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|1500 m
|3:35.31
|-
|[[1997 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Athens]], Greece
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|1500 m
|3:35.83
|-
|1999
|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Seville]], Spain
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|1500 m
|3:27.65 {{AthAbbr|CR|World Championships in Athletics}}
|-
|2000
|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Sydney]], Australia
| style="background:silver;"|2nd
|1500 m
|3:32.32
|-
|rowspan=2|2001
|[[2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Lisbon]], Portugal
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|3000 m
|7:37.74
|-
|[[2001 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Edmonton]], Canada
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|1500 m
|3:30.68
|-
|rowspan=2|2003
|rowspan=2|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres|World Championships]]
|rowspan=2|[[Paris]], France
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|1500 m
|3:31.77
|-
| style="background:silver;"|2nd
|5000 m
|12:52.83
|-
|rowspan=2|2004
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Athens]], Greece
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|1500 m
|3:34.18
|-
| style="background:gold;"|1st
|5000 m
|13:14.39
|}
==Personal bests==
The following table includes El Guerrouj's personal best times as published by the IAAF:<ref name="IAAF">{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/morocco/hicham-el-guerrouj-9824 |work=[[International Association of Athletics Federations|IAAF]] |title=''Hicham EL GUERROUJ - Athlete Profile''}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Distance
! Time
! Date
! Location
!Notes
|-
| [[800 metres]] || 1:47.18 || align=left | 2 June 1995 || [[Turin]]
|
|-
| [[1000 metres]] || 2:16.85 || align=left | 12 July 1995 || [[Nice]]
|
|-
| [[1500 metres]]|| '''3:26.00''' || align=left | 14 July 1998 || [[Rome]]
|[[1500 metres world record progression|'''WR''']]
|-
| Indoor 1500 metres  || 3:31.18 || align=left | 2 February 1997 || [[Stuttgart]]
|3rd all time
|-
| [[Mile run|Mile]]|| '''3:43.13''' || 7 July 1999 || Rome
|[[Mile run world record progression|'''WR''']]
|-
| Indoor mile || 3:48.45 || align=left | 12 February 1997 || [[Ghent]]
|3rd all time
|-
| [[2000 metres]]|| 4:44.79 || align="left" | 7 September 1999 || [[Berlin]]
|2nd all time
|-
| [[3000 metres]] || 7:23.09 || align=left | 3 September 1999 || [[Brussels]]
|4th all time
|-
| Indoor 3000 metres || 7:33.73 || align=left | 23 February 2003 || rowspan=2|[[Liévin]]
|
|-
| Indoor [[Two miles|2 miles]] || 8:06.61 || align=left | 23 February 2003
|9th all time
|-
| [[5000 metres]] || 12:50.24   || align=left | 12 March 2003 || [[Ostrava]]
|
|-
| [[Ekiden]] || 1:57:56 || align=left | 17 April 1994 || [[Litochoro]]
|
|}
==Awards==
* [[World Athlete of the Year]]: 2001, 2002, 2003{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
* [[Track & Field News Athlete of the Year]]: 1999, 2001, 2002{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
* [[L'Équipe Champion of Champions]]: 2005{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
* [[IAAF Hall of Fame]]: 2014<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twelve athletics legends inducted into IAAF Hall of Fame{{!}} News |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/iaaf-news/hall-of-fame-2014-inductees |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=www.worldathletics.org |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[1500 metres world record progression]]
* [[Mile run world record progression]]

==References and notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Hicham El Guerrouj}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvCsj7eJKKA&eurl= Video of Hicham El Guerrouj breaking the mile world record]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050421235031/http://www2.iaaf.org/News/articles/20020711hicham-diary.html El Guerrouj diary at IAAF]
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{Olympics.com profile}}
* {{Olympedia}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box|before=[[Noureddine Morceli]]|title=[[World record progression 1500 metres|Men's 1500 m World Record Holder]]|years=July 14, 1998 – |after=Incumbent}}
{{succession box|before=[[Noureddine Morceli]]|title=[[World record progression for the mile run|Men's Mile World Record Holder]]|years=July 7, 1999 – |after=Incumbent}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box|title=[[Track & Field Athlete of the Year|Men's ''Track & Field News'' Athlete of the Year]]|before=[[Haile Gebrselassie]]|before2=[[Virgilijus Alekna]]|after=[[Virgilijus Alekna]]|after2=[[Félix Sánchez (hurdler)|Félix Sánchez]]|years=1999<br />2001, 2002}}
{{succession box|title=[[IAAF World Athlete of the Year]]|before=[[Jan Železný]]|after=[[Kenenisa Bekele]]|years=2001 – 2003}}
{{succession box|title=[[L'Équipe Champion of Champions]]|before=[[Michael Schumacher]]|after=[[Roger Federer]]|years=2004}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|before=[[Haile Gebrselassie]]|before2=[[Benjamin Limo]]|title=[[3000 metres#Men's Seasons Best|Men's 3000 m Best Year Performance]]|years=1999<br />2003|after=[[Ali Saïdi-Sief]]|after2=[[Eliud Kipchoge]]}}

{{s-end}}

{{IAAF World Athlete of the Year (men)}}
{{IAAF Hall of Fame}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 1500 m Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 5000 m Men}}
{{Footer World Champions 1500 m Men}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions 1500m Men}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions 3000m Men}}
{{Footer WBYP 1500m Men}}
{{Footer WBYP Mile Men}}
{{Footer WBYP 3000m Men}}
{{Prince of Asturias Award for Sports}}
{{L'Équipe Champion of Champions}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guerrouj, Hicham}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Berkane]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Oriental (Morocco)]]
[[Category:Moroccan men middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Moroccan men long-distance runners]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Morocco]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Morocco]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Morocco]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Morocco]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World Athletics record holders]]
[[Category:Moroccan International Olympic Committee members]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:World Athletics indoor record holders]]
[[Category:IAAF Golden League winners]]
[[Category:Track & Field News Athlete of the Year winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Moroccan sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century Moroccan people]]