Salah HISSOU

Following his distance running feats in 1996 and 1997, which saw him set a 10,000m world record, and win bronze medals at the 1996 Olympic Games and 1997 World Championships, Salah Hissou had a relatively quiet year in 1998. Hissou did not contest a 10,000m during 1998, although he did record a very quick 12min 57.73sec when he won a 5000m race at Saint-Denis on 4 June. Where most distance runners tend to move up to longer distances as their career progresses, Salah seemed to do the reverse in 1999, not contesting a 10,000m race, and setting personal bests at the shorter distances of 1 mile and 3,000m. His 3000m time was a very fast 7min 28.93sec, which he clocked at Monaco on 4 August. This time moved Hissou to 11th on the all-time world list at this distance. Three days later, he ran 3min 52.54sec for the mile at Crystal Palace.

However, it was at his more familiar distance of 5,000m that Hissou was at his most awesome in 1999. On 9 June, he won an early season meet at Milan in 12min 52.53sec. He followed this with two additional times under 13 minutes leading up to the World Championships, 12min 55.39sec at Rome on 7 July, and 12min 53.45sec at Zurich on 11 August. The 5,000m final at the World Championships in Seville on August 28 was run at very fast pace. With 250 metres to go, Hissou was lying second (see photo above wearing No.972), but shortly after, he sprinted clear of his rivals, winning the gold medal in 12min 58.13sec - the fastest 5000m ever run at a major international championships. In 2000, Hissou was unfortunately denied the opportunity to add to his Olympic medal tally when he had to withdraw from the Moroccan team to Sydney due to an ankle injury. (Ron Casey)