فخر العرب وفخر للمغرب . عند كل مرة اشاهده يفوز بالسباق عيناي تدمع ولااستطيع ان أحبس عيناي ,,, روح وقوز واصرار على الفوز ومجاربة النقس اللتي لاترضى بالخسارة هنيئا للمغرب حكومة وشعبأ اخوكم من السعوديه
I loved how the Kenyan runners hugged and congratulated him in the end. They knew how much it meant to him after his previous failures. Great sportsmanship!
I remember this very very very very well I was very young, I was with my family in Morocco, my father was driving in the motor way and then suddenly everybody stopped there were thousands of Moroccans parking their cars in the motor way, not moving and people outside of their cars standing close to their cars and everybody listening to the radio (it was 2004) The entire country stopped breathing shops closed, empty streets, exactly like during Morocco's matchs in the world cup and I still remember hearing the Moroccan commentator on the radio repeating hysterically "Hicham Lagat Hicham Lagat Hicham Lagat Hicham Lagat Hicham Lagat" in an extremely loud and emotional voice and then said "our hero did it, our legend did it" and burst out in tears like many people in the highway That was one of the moments I will never forget and just few days later, once again, the entire country stopped breathing : it was again Hicham going for the 2nd olympic gold medal at 5000m extremely proud to be Moroccan Long live my country
7:50 I like how the commentator stop pretending to be neutral and scream "Come On El Guerrouj". Every fan of this sport wanted him to win this gold medal.
El Guerrouj was under pressure of all a nation, he had won 32 races without any failure, but the Olympics slipped between his fingers 2 times, he had no chance left but this one. He could die for this medal, and got 2 gold medals. Hicham, you will be always remembered as one of the greatest athletes of all times. From a Morocco citizen 🇲🇦
Hicham el Guerrouj: I fell in Atlanta, I lost in Sydney, I had asma. But I will not surrender. "The word lose doesn't exist". What an amazing athlete and iron personality. Legendary champion. machallah.
El Gourrej was my hero when I raced. Amazing acceleration and graceful style. The guy has the perfect build and temperament for the 1500. Long live El Gourrejl the greatest middle distance runner of the modern era.
@@kennethlandau5396 guerrouj has olympic medal in 1500 and 5000 and also his record is still unbeaten and it has been 25 years no one could even come close.So what are u talking about. And who the hell is coe.
This man is inspirational - not only for his running but for the attitude to life that he espouses and represents - a rare combination of true humility and greatness
What a legend Bernard Lagat is. 16 year career. Still holds the 3rd fastest 1500 time. The only man to run quicker is El G. Double world champion and 13 major championship medals. He must have been dissapointed at the end of this race and instead of sulking he went and gave genuine congratulations. Total mark of respect and an indication even the other athletes wanted El G to win an Olympic title. You dont see that too often in sport.
I will never forget the emotions and shivers that we used to feel every time Hicham was competing, I will never forget how much we cried of joy when he snatched both medals in 2004, and only last year, I will never forget how a classmate from New Zealand said to me "Hicham El Guerrouj" as soon as I said I was Moroccan. YOU ARE A LEGEND. Hicham, ma3emer daz b7alek w ma3emmerna nl9aw bhalek, hezziti lina rassna allah yhezz bik :)
Truth has been spoken, Un champion de Gros calibre j'ai eu l'occasion de prendre une photo avec lui à rabat ! Il mérite son succès 🇲🇦🥇 lhamdulah chrrafna w haz bl3lam dial lblad. J'avais 6ans à 2004 et jme rappelle parfaitement 😥😃🥇
Yes, the streets in Morocco were deserted when Hicham was running a big race. I remember my mom crying after he fell down in his first Olympics. A true legend.
Never was anyone more deserving to win an Olympic gold medal than him, I was so happy for him when he did it. Also in Sydney, there was almost another long distance upset, Paul Tergat almost held off Haile Gebrselassie in the 10k, what an upset that would've been.
All good, but check this out bro: "On 29 September 1951, Emil Zatopek became the first person to run 20 kilometres in under one hour and broke four world records in one breathtaking race. By the end of 1953 he held eight world running records-the only man in history to hold so many records at the same time. In total he set 18 world records. In 1952, Emil Zatopek achieved one of the greatest Olympic feats of all time - something that will probably never be reproduced. He won gold in the 5km, 10km and then at the last moment decided to run his first ever marathon. Despite no previous experience at the distance he won the race [slicing six minutes off the world record]. This triple gold remains an unprecedented achievement. The amazing feature of this Olympics was that two months before the Olympics, doctors advised him not to race because of an infected gland. Zatopek ignored the doctors’ advice." TIME FOR A CONTRAST: "At one stage in the 1960s, Ron Clarke, the Australian, held every world record from two miles to 20 kilometres - an achievement surpassing that of the great distance runner Paavo Nurmi. In 1965, at the peak of Clarke’s career, he competed 18 times in eight countries during a 44-day tour of Europe - and set 12 world records, nine of which were established within 21 days. FACT: After being invited to an athletics meeting in Prague by Emil Zatopek, on his way home on the plane ... "He determined that under no circumstances would he open the small package given to him by zatopek, until he was back on the ground in London, at least on friendly, familiar territory, where he would be able to cope with whatever it was. But somewhere over the English Channel he could resist no longer. Looking surreptitiously over his left and right shoulder to see no one was watching, he fished the package out of his pocket and opened the little box inside. It gleamed back at him. It was an Olympic gold medal, the very same that Zatopek had won in the 10,000m at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. It was even newly inscribed, To Ron Clarke, July 19, 1966, with Zatopek's final words on the plane steps coming to him, "Not out of friendship, but because you deserve it". Clarke never won Olympic gold. [Jesus: Never forget Him]
Remembring my first time watching the olympics in 1996 (10 yo) staying late at night to explore the world of athletism, it was a delight to see many peoples from all countries and races compete. But what was truly awesome, from my perspective as moroccan, was to witness that "fresh name on the scene" called Hicham El Guerrouj glued to Morsli and another famousspanish racer. To watch him fall, 400 M before the end of the race, and to watch him getting back in the race, with a godly might, and continue the last lap like his baskets were burning.. He finished 8th, but who cared.. I didn't see at the time the need for a medal to respect him, or to feel myself proud as a moroccan.. I just saw a very inspiring performance ofa humain being that didn't give up, no mater what were his chances of victory.... Since 96, i watched every performance of hicham, at every meeting and world championship. He always starts by kissing his medallion, taking place in the 3rd or4th position by midrace, and unleaching every fucking bit of his soul in the last 200m... And i had the luck to witness greatness in progress till the very last epic fight with Lagat (whom i acknowledge as an epic runner too, even that he fought fiercely El Guerrouj when he scored the 3:26:00, Bernard Lagat was behind with... 3:26:13! ). God I like you Hicham, and would've liked you if you were moroccan, Kenyan or whatsoever... You are a true fighter, growing watching you over the years mademe the man whoi am, a man that doesn't knowwhen to give up :D
this has been gym motivation for me for years. it is the ultimate and will always push me no matter how depressed or hopeless tired or sad I am ... the buildup is beautiful and the payoff is inspiring
Love you man...... I Just want to meet you Legend....... One of the Greatest Olympian and great determination not to give up and finally you did it...... A Huge Love from INDIA....
Polki Sa Zawsze Kieszonkowsze Except that Morocco was what was written on his shirt, not "brown hair". At the end of the race, he carried the Morocco's flag. When he stepped on the podium, they played Morocco's national anthem. It's the Olympic games, he represented and ran for Morocco. Therefore, us Moroccans can be proud of the fact that we have such an incredible athlete as our countryman.
Hicham holds 5 world records" the mile out and indoor, 1500m outdoor and indoor, 2000m outdoor. This is still not enough for them to call him the greatest? what a justice? but lets just throw more facts. Hicham ran the indoor world record in 1500m and Haile Gebrselassie was gasping behind him in second. Not only that, he also broke the outdoor 1500m world record and Daniel Komen who is ( in my opinion, one of the greatest runners of all time also, who still the current 3000m record holder was also gasping behind Hicham in second. More than that, when Hicham broke the Mile world record, Noah Ngeny (the current 1000m world record holder) was behind him in second. Hicham broke three world records while three world record holders of different distances were finishing second behind him in those races. Go watch the 5000m final race in 2004 Olympics, look at who were there behind Hicham in second and third, and forth. In that race " Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea (the world half marathon record holder), Bekele (the 5000m and 10000m world record holder who just broke his records four months before that race) and as well Eliud kipchoge who is today the dominant figure of most of the major marathon races finishing second and third behind Hicham. Hicham ran the second fastest time of all time in 3000m ( behind the world record time by Koman). Also, 7 of the fastest 10 times of all time in 1500m were run by Hicham. Hicham ran 33 times sub 3:30 in the 1500m races. Think of running 33 times under 3:30 minutes in the 1500m races. Also, 7 of the fastest 10 times of the Mile distance races were run by Hicham, one of them is the world record time that he holds as well as his world record of 1500m..etc..You will not hear those facts from most of athletics commentators who are always referring to Bekele or Haile as the greatest runners of all time which is understandable. But, to overlook Hicham name, records, and greatness is very subjective. It does not convince me to name him only " the greatest runner of middle distances" because he is the best and greatest runner ever. Period.
We are rather fact rationalists. However, you are concentrating on the important of what is not important..But, that's fine. I just edited it. I also, hope those facts that I just stated do not still make more damages to any "organized brain"...
Oh, I see you put down some effort there Ben. Thank you. Those two cuts randomly placed to divide the text into three big walls really helped out a lot.
Obviously the 1500m wasn't Gebrselassie's specialty. If Hicham tried to compete with Gebrselassie in the 10,000m or the marathon, it would be Hicham who would have been gasping behind. Both amazing runners in different areas that overlapped. Why can't you just leave it at that?
@@ismailgrou1667 Meh, primes last longer than a year. He was probably at his fittest in 98 for the 1500m, but he shined better in the 5000 later in his career, was still very 1500m fit and was a more experienced racer.
At 8.10 mins Silva and El Guerrouj both have exactly the same facial expression, an expression of pure ecstasy running through their bodies in response to the enormity of what they have just achieved. It must be awesome to be at the pinnacle of athletic success and experience what they did, something only very few people on earth can accomplish, legends.
Thank you Hicham, you really make us moroccan proud. I watched this video several times and also watched the race with French and Arabic commentators, and everytime, I had tears in my eyes... Thanks
This really gave me goosebumps ❤❤.. I was about to cry by seeing him chasing his dream to convert into a reality... Very well talented athlete.. Hats off to him
Wow, for the last 800m he ran each 100m faster than the one before, constantly accelerating... Anyone who once ran knows how astonishing, amazing, incredible this performance is!
Hicham won the race with the strategic surge he threw with 400 meters to go. His whole race was masterful, the result of two previous loses at the Olympic level. The thing about Coe vs El Guerroj, both champions - but Hicham beat the Africans! At their prime, it would have been the best race of all time! Coe was fucking amazing too, for those too young to have witnessed him.
Congrats on your marvellous performances in this Olympics sir. I was so happy - especially when you won the 1500m. It was the best race and the best finish I have ever seen. You deserved it. Best wishes from Ireland.
The late 90s and early 2000s had the best middle and long distance track runners. Best era in my opinion with kings like El Guerrouj, Ngeny, Komen, Tergat and Gebreselassie. Miss those times. ☺
The mid 90's was the greatest era of 1500m. Those times still stand 25-30 years on, on an outdoor track no athlete has come within a second of the World Record
I was walking in Rabat to get some shawarma when he crossed the finish line and I thought I was being attacked, being a US Marine I was concerned, but instead got hugged, kissed, and a free shawarma.
ملك السباقات الأولمبية ١٥٠٠متر ، الاسطورة المغربية هشام الكروج، بعد مرور ٢٥ سنة على رقمه القياسي لم تستطع البشرية إنجاب واحد متله.....الدموع والعرق والسقوط والمرض والخسارة. هذا لم يمنعه. لم يستسلم حتى النهاية. أسطورة هشام.
You are my idol and one of my happiest moments of my life I had to meet you in Rio returning from the Christ in the company of my daughter. You did not see me, but I cried after saying goodbye
Dear Damian You’re 16 today I believe. Even. Better you start running and become like him He won on his 29th year You can become a legend too, if not in running then in whatever domain you’re focused on. I wish you all the best Sign : Berber /Nomad / from southern Morocco
