Question 1

True or false: El Guerrouj’s world record in the mile has never been broken since he set it in 1999.

Accepted Answer

True. El Guerrouj's mile record of 3:43.13, set in 1999, remains unbeaten as of 2025.

Question 2

True or false: Hicham El Guerrouj was nicknamed 'The Flying Camel' during his career.

Accepted Answer

False. His nickname was 'The King of the Mile' or 'The Master of the 1500m,' not 'The Flying Camel.'

Question 3

True or false: Hicham El Guerrouj's first Olympic gold medal was won at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Accepted Answer

False. At the 1996 Atlanta Games, Hicham El Guerrouj fell in the 1500m final and finished last. His first Olympic gold medals came at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he won both the 1500m and 5000m.

Question 4

True or false: Hicham El Guerrouj is the only man to win Olympic gold in both the 1500m and 5000m at the same Games.

Accepted Answer

False. Paavo Nurmi also won gold in the 1500m and 5000m at the 1924 Olympics, so El Guerrouj is not the only man. He achieved the double in 2004, becoming the first since Nurmi.

Question 5

True or false: El Guerrouj never lost a race at the World Championships.

Accepted Answer

False. He lost the 1500m final at the 1995 World Championships to Noureddine Morceli, finishing with a silver medal.

Question 6

True or false: El Guerrouj’s first major international medal was a silver at the 1995 World Championships.

Accepted Answer

False. His first global medal was actually a silver in the 1500m at the 1995 World Indoor Championships, not the outdoor World Championships.

Question 7

True or false: Hicham El Guerrouj held world records simultaneously in the 1500m, mile, and 2000m at one point.

Accepted Answer

True. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, El Guerrouj owned all three records—an unmatched middle-distance trifecta.

Question 8

True or false: El Guerrouj once ran a 1500m in under 3 minutes and 26 seconds.

Accepted Answer

False. Hicham El Guerrouj's world record is exactly 3:26.00, set in 1998, not under that time. 'Under 3:26' would mean 3:25.99 or faster.

Hicham El Guerrouj Trivia Questions