Hicham El Guerrouj smashed the World Record in way back in 1998 this week. The 14th of July was the date when Hicham El Guerrouj managed to run an average of 54.93 per lap for a final time of 3.26.00

El Guerrouj had an incredible 2 year record setting spree. He smashed two world indoor records at the start of the 1997 season, a 1500 m record of 3:31.18 indoors and 3:48.45 in the mile run at the Indoor Flanders meeting a few weeks later. A year later in 1998 in Rome, El Guerrouj broke Morceli’s 1500 m world record (3:27.37) with a time of 3:26.00.

After that in 1999, also in Rome, El Guerrouj broke the world record in the mile set by Noureddine Morceli in 1993, with a time of 3:43.13. Just for kicks he managed to set a new world record over 2000 m in Berlin at 4:44.79 and run the second fastest ever time over 3000m in Brussels later that year.

His coup de grace was winning the 2004 Olympics after losing out in out in two straight Olympics. With four World 1500m titles in a row, he finally managed to get Gold and then got himself a spare one in the 5000m beating the great Kenenisa Bekele en route.

2004 Olympic 1500m and 5000m Golds

Seasonal Bests for 8 Year Stretch

1996 3:29.05 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Brussels
1997 3:28.91 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Zich
1998 3:26.00 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Rome
1999 3:27.65 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Seville
2000 3:27.21 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Zich
2001 3:26.12 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Brussels
2002 3:26.89 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Zich
2003 3:28.40 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Brussels

Personal Bests

Distance              Mark               Date               Location
800 metres         1:47.18            1995-02-06
1000 metres      2:16.85             1995-07-12  Nice
1500 metres      3:26.00            1998-07-14  Rome
Mile                    3:43.13              1999-07-07 Rome
2000 metres    4:44.79              1999-09-07 Berlin
3000 metres    7:23.09              1999-09-03 Brussels
5000 metres   12:50.24             2003-03-12 Ostrava