il mérité amplement ce doublé hiostorique pour l'histoire de l'athlétisme marocain . depuis 1924 , le doublé 1500m et 5000m n'avait été réalisé . Aujourd'hui en 2004 grace à notre hicham national c'est fait et je suis content pour lui. merci el guerrouj ... Un chleuh parmi tant d'autre.
Ces derniers temps quand on parle du Maroc, on le decrit comme etant le bercau du terrorisme. Heureusement El Guerrouj est la, il a donne au monde entier une image brillante sur le Maroc qui peut aussi produire des grands champions... Bravo Hicham. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Men's 5000m : Comments from EL GUERROUJ, BEKELE, KIPCHOGE ATHENS, 28 August - Comments from Hicham EL GUERROUJ (MAR), Kenenisa BEKELE (ETH), Eliud KIPCHOGE (KEN)
Hicham EL GUERROUJ (MAR)
On the fact that he won two olympic gold medals
"I can tell you I'm very happy. Two gold medals in five days! I was relaxed in the race and let my opponents do the work. I stayed behind until the last 100 meters. Everybody has watched this race. This is good for the sport and the new generation".
On if he became a legend after the double
"Two days ago I received a message from a friend at Tuluse. It was saying that in 1997 Athens discovered the prince, in 2004 Athens will discover the king. When I came to the stadium I was talking to myself and I was thinking of Paavo NURMI. I was telling myself "this is a great day for you. You have 20 hours to go. If you want to keep this medal, do it". I am very pleased. I thank everyone that helped me. I always dreamed of being an Olympic Champion and now I did it twice. It's fantastic".
On his feelings after achieving what he has been chasing for 8 years
"I could tell you a lot of stories that happened to me. When I lost in Sydney, I found it very hard to start running again. For four years I worked very hard. This year I experienced breathing problems. In July I didn't even know if I would be here. But I continued trying and I was thinking that God would help me at the right time".
On the race "When I saw BEKELE and his performance, I thought that I was going to win. My strength is the finish. They made a serious mistake and they will have to wait another year for another race. But I won't be there. Maybe I will be with BEKELE in the 10,000m".
On how he will motivate himself after having won everything
"I can't decide now what I'm going to do in the next few years. Always I find great pleasure in running. I never gave up even with the difficulties. Maybe next year I will defend my title, if God wants it, and I also have the 5,000m. world record to beat."
On Paavo NURMI:
"He was a great legend. He made history in his time. Our generation is also very strong. Things have changed. Athletes like BEKELE, KIPCHOGE and GEBRSELASSIE are really great".
On comparing his feelings in Sydney and Athens
"Four years ago I was crying like a kid at the Press Conference. Now I am happy as a child. If God wants it, the future will be as today".
On the fact he was elected at the athlete's commission
"Many great athletes, like Sergey BUBKA, were also elected. Our job is to represent the athletes, to deal with their problems during the games. We must have a plan and to do the hard job and if God wants it I will do it in the right way".
On if he was enough prepared for 5,000m
"This year my objective was to do the double. The most important was the 1,500m gold medal. 20% of the work I did was for the 5,000m.. But my objective was to win the gold medals. Next year, if God wants it, I will move to the stage of breaking the world 5,000m record"
On if he was afraid that BEKELE could beat him
"Yes. He had demonstrated he was very strong at 10,000m. He is young, fresh and extremely talented. He can destroy all records from 5,000m. maybe up to the marathon. But today I was very strong mentally, even after four races".
Kenenisa BEKELE (ETH)
On why he didn't run faster
"I was waiting for someone else to do it (to lead). I run reasonably well. But I was tired from the 10.000m."
On if he was expecting EL QUERROUJ to have such a strong finish
"If I had started earlier my sprint, maybe I could make it and win. But I let him continue and that was my mistake. He is too strong at the finish"
On the fact that he was the favorite to win the race
"I was strong and I didn't face any particular problem. But it is a race and in a race someone must be first and someone else second"
On why he wasn't able to do the kick he did at the last lap of 10,000m:
"Today wasn't my day. If I had tried that 400m before the finish, maybe it would work. But it wasn't my day".
Eliud KIPCHOGE (KEN)
On why he didn't run faster at the beginning:
"We were all waiting for someone else to make a move. I was expecting too a faster race. But these are the Olympic Games. Everybody can win and in any way".
On if he was expecting EL QUERROUJ to have such a strong finish:
"Yes, because he is coming from a shorter distance in which he needs to be fast in the final meters".
Dou medaille, Dou !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Félicitation a Hicham..si tu nous lit ..Bashtek.... et Bravo..tu l'a bien mérité.. tu nous a tous fait vibrer...je t'aurais preté mes jambes dans les derniers 400 metres si j'aurais pu!!!
T'es trop fort!!!!!!!!! G jamais été aussi enthousiaste devant de l'athlé!! je courait sur place a la fin... je voulais tant que tu gagnes et t'a gagné...
salam
ps: toujours a remercier Allah (swt) en se prosternant... ca fait chaud au coeur