Said Aouita

1980s distance great, multiple world records.

Saïd Aouita was born on 2 November 1959 in Kenitra, a coastal Moroccan city, and developed into one of the most versatile middle and long-distance runners in history, capable of competing at an elite level across every distance from 800m to 10,000m. Aouita won bronze in the 1500m at the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki, and delivered the finest moment of his career at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, winning gold in the 5000m to become Morocco's first Olympic athletics champion. Aouita became the first man in history to run the 5000m in under 13 minutes, lowering the world record to 12:58.39 in 1987, the same year he won the event at the World Championships in Rome, and remains the only athlete ever to have won Olympic medals in both the 800m and 5000m. Aouita set world records across the 1500m, 2000m, 3000m, and 5000m during his career, and won the world indoor 3000m title in 1989, before his career wound down following an injury that forced him to miss the 1992 Olympics, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most complete distance runners the sport has produced.

Versatile middle-distance runner with exceptional tactical awareness and finishing kick

One of greatest middle-distance runners ever, revolutionized tactical racing

• 1984 Olympic gold 5000m
• 1984 Olympic bronze 800m
• 1987 World champ 5000m
• WRs 1500m/2000m/3000m/5000m