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End of an era as El Guerrouj's dreams lie in tatters
SYDNEY, Sept 29 (AFP) - They were meant to be tears of joy but instead they were tears of sadness as Hicham El Guerrouj's expected coronation as Olympic 1,500 metres champion ended in heartbreak and devastation. For four years the 26-year-old Moroccan had lived a dream that he would avenge the moment when in Atlanta he fell at the bell while leading in the final. He travelled the road from Atlanta to Sydney practically invincible over the distance, losing only once and setting several new world records along the way. But his journey towards final Olympic redemption ended with a shattering halt on Friday with Noah Ngeny inflicting his first ever defeat on the Moroccan. El Guerrouj had gone so far as to keep a picture on his wall of the moment he endured Olympic hell in Atlanta -- he even brought the photograph to Sydney where he planned to tear it up in the holding area following his win. Instead the photograph will remain, and El Guerrouj will never be crowned champion of the event that is regarded as the 'blue riband' of the middle distance races. "I hand my crown as king of the mile and the 1,500 over to Noah," a tearful El Guerrouj said. "I will now turn my attention to the 5,000m and Inshallah next year I will break that world record, the 3,000m and the 4,000m if the meet directors can put one on," he added. The normally implacable El Guerrouj, who seemed so cool in the two world finals he had won, had proved himself to be mortal and succumbed to what every athlete fears the most -- pressure. "I was stressed right from the outset," said El Guerrouj, who had been telephoned by the King of Morocco prior to his 1,500m semi-finals. "I knew that the weight of expectations of the people of Morocco and of the King were on me to win the Olympic title. "So much so that when I arrived here today I was crying and my coach had to calm me down," he added. In a desperate search for some consolation he recalled the triumphs of the past four years. "Hicham remains Hicham, Hicham the recordman, Hicham the miler, Hicham the world champion," he said. "However, one thing I cannot say is that Hicham is Hicham the Olympic champion .. I have lived this dream for four years and it lies in tatters at my feet," he added. El Guerrouj, who refused to offer any injury excuses for his defeat, said that he was not the first great athlete to be burnt at the Olympic stake. "Look there was Wilson Kipketer in the 800 metres two days ago and there was Said Aouita in 1992 in Barcelona who failed to clinch the title that everybody expected would be their's," he said. "One has to accept defeat and glory in the same manner otherwise you lose your self respect. "Today I had a dream shattered tomorrow there will be another one," he added.
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