News19 Nov 2002


Athlete of the Year aims at double gold in Paris and Athens

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Hicham El Guerrouj running in Oslo (© Getty Images)

The newly crowned Athlete of the Year, Moroccan middle distance king Hicham El Guerrouj yesterday travelled from Monaco, where on Sunday night he became the first male athlete to win the title in consecutive years, to the Czech capital Prague to promote his first senior venture at 5000m which will take place take year.

As reported last week, El Guerrouj will run his first senior 5000m on 12 June 2003 in the Czech city of Ostrava at IAAF Super Grand Prix Golden Spike meet, with the aim of achieving the qualification mark for the World Championships in Paris.

"Of course I want to be prepared as best as possible. The main goal of the season is to win two gold medals in Paris,” confirmed Guerrouj. “Ostrava will be the test for the 5000m, later I will run some 1500 races. It is an honour for me to be able to run in the first Emil Zatopek Memorial race, as I consider him to be one of the best long distance runners ever. I have wanted to try 5000m several times since 2000, but something was always against it."

El Guerrouj, then announced that he also wants to try the same double at 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. "I know this will be my last chance to try for it. If not then, then it will not happen at all," said the Moroccan who in his fantastic career at 1500m is missing only the Olympic gold medal.

"I was mentally down after my unsuccessful races at the last two Olympic Games. But my family, friends and God have helped me overcome it. I am a professional athlete and I know what I need to do it in order to attain the highest achievements. My life is simple, as it is just training and rest, nothing else. Sometimes it feels like military-like drill. But there is no other way to be the best."

Alfons Juck for IAAF

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