27 Facts About Noureddine Morceli

Noureddine Morceli is a retired Algerian middle-distance runner.

The winner of the 1500 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics, Morceli won three straight gold medals at that distance at the World Championships in Athletics.

At age seven Noureddine Morceli was inspired by his brother Abderrahmane, a world-class runner who finished fourth in the 1,500 metres in the 1977 World Cup; later his brother would become Noureddine Morceli's coach.

Noureddine Morceli spent two years there, at the end of which he had run the world's fastest 1,500 metres for 1990.

Noureddine Morceli was tested by a new challenger, Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj.

Noureddine Morceli bested El Guerrouj in the 1,500 metres at the 1995 outdoor world championships; however, the 1,500-metre race at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta the following year was considered one of the most dramatic contests in athletics history.

Noureddine Morceli competed in subsequent events, including the 2000 Games in Sydney, before his eventual retirement.

Noureddine Morceli attended Riverside Community College in Riverside, California, and throughout his career, in winter, he would return there to enjoy the mild climate and train.

Noureddine Morceli was coached by his brother Abderrahmane who ran for Algeria in the Moscow Olympics of 1980 and in Los Angeles in 1984.

At the World Championships in Tokyo, Noureddine Morceli was already a clear favourite for the 1500 m and he won easily.

Noureddine Morceli set a new World Championships record and finished with a remarkable two-second-lead between him and the silver medallist Wilfred Kirochi.

That was not the sort of pace to which Noureddine Morceli had become accustomed, or that he was comfortable with, and when the frantic sprint for home began, he found himself unable to respond, eventually finishing a disappointing seventh.

Only three days after the final Noureddine Morceli set a world season's best in Monaco and a week later he broke his personal best to win in Zurich in 3:30.76.

In September 1992 Noureddine Morceli set a new 1500 m world record of 3:28.86 in Rieti.

In 1993 Noureddine Morceli narrowly missed his own world record when he won the Mediterranean Games in Narbonne in 3:29.20 min.

At the World Championships in Stuttgart, the final of 1500 m started at a relatively slow pace, but Noureddine Morceli was always in complete control, sprinting away in the last lap to win easily and retain his world title.

Noureddine Morceli experimented successfully with the 5000 m In Zurich he outsprinted the rest of the field to take the victory and won the 5000 m race in Rieti.

The only defeat of the season came when Noureddine Morceli opted for an unusual 800 m appearance in Cologne.

Noureddine Morceli broke the 2000 m world record in the following season, setting a new mark of 4:47.88.

Nine days later Noureddine Morceli set the last world record of his magnificent career, when he lowered his own 1500 m record to 3:27.37 in Nice.

Shortly after, Noureddine Morceli tried to improve on his Mile record in Zurich but did not succeed.

At the start of the 1996 season, Noureddine Morceli set a world season's best of 3:29.50.

At the 1996 Summer Olympics, Noureddine Morceli was under enormous pressure.

Noureddine Morceli accelerated and crossed the line first ahead of the defending Olympic champion, Fermin Cacho.

Currently, Noureddine Morceli serves as an ambassador of the sport by assisting with the International Olympic Commission, the African Games, as well as assisting the development of young track and field athletes in Algeria.

Noureddine Morceli was replaced by Judo champion Salima Souakri in June 2020 following a government change.

Noureddine Morceli has no political affiliation to any party in Algeria and was chosen as an independent member in the first Djerad government.