Noureddine Morceli

Athlete, born in Tenes, N Algeria. World champion over 1500 m in 1991 - the youngest ever - he repeated his success in 1993 and 1995. During the latter year he held the world record for 1500 m, the mile, 2000 m and 3000 m, and in 1996 was Olympic 1500 m champion.

Noureddine Morceli (Arabic: نور الدين مورسلي‎) (born February 28, 1970) is a former Algerian athlete, winner of the 1500 m run at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Born in Tenes, Algeria, Noureddine Morceli rose to athletic prominence after winning the silver medal in the 1500 m at the World Junior Championships in 1988. He continued this dominance into 1991, when he broke the world indoor record for 1500 m at Seville on February 28, setting a new mark of 3:34.16. Only nine days later, on the same track, he won the 1500 m title at the World Indoor Championships. Throughout the outdoor season 1991 Morceli remained undefeated over 1500 m. At the World Championships in Tokyo, Morceli was already a clear favourite for the 1500 m and he won easily.

In the beginning of 1992, Morceli ran a new 1000 m indoor world record of 2:15.26. Only three days after the final 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 Morceli set a new 1500 m world record of 3:28.86 in Rieti.

In 1993 Morceli narrowly missed his own world record when he won the Mediterranean Games in Narbonne in 3:29.20 min. By that time Morceli had set himself a new aim: to break Steve Cram's eight-year-old record over the Mile (3:46.32). In Monaco he narrowly missed the 3000 m world record. At the World Championships in Stuttgart, the final of 1500 m started at a relatively slow pace, but Morceli was always in complete control, sprinting away in the last lap to win easily and retain his world title.

In 1994, he set the new 3000 m world record, clocking 7:25.11. The only defeat of the season came when Morceli opted for an unusual 800 m appearance in Cologne. Morceli broke the 2000 m world record in the following season, setting a new mark of 4:47.88. Nine days later Morceli set the last world record of his magnificent career, when he lowered his own 1500 m record to 3:27.37 in Nice. Later on that year he defended easily the 1500 m World Champion title in Gothenburg. Shortly after, Morceli tried to improve on his Mile record in Zurich but did not succeed.

At the start of the 1996 season, Morceli set a world season's best of 3:29.50. At the end of 1996 Morceli suffered his first 1500 m defeat in four years at the hands of El Guerrouj in Milan. In the 1997 World Championships at Athens, Morceli was fourth in 1500 m and in 1999, at Seville, he qualified for his fifth straight 1500 m final at a World Championships, where he dropped out at the bell while well out of medal contention.

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

Currently, 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.