Posted: June 21, 2005

Athletics: El Guerrouj Postpones 2005 Debut Yet Again

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

Double Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj has withdrawn from Thursday's athletics meeting in Zaragoza, Spain, postponing yet again his highly anticipated 2005 debut.

According to a press release issued today by organizers of the Gran Premio Gobierno de Aragón competition, El Guerrouj, who was scheduled to compete in the 3000, has yet to recover from health problems that forced his withdrawal from two other competitions this year. Earlier this spring, El Guerrouj withdrew from the 3000 at the FBK games in Hengelo, Netherlands and the two-mile race at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore. Details of his illness were not specified, but organizers said that the world record holder in the 1500 meters and the mile would travel to the northeast Spanish city to fulfill his obligations and public appearances.

El Guerrouj hasn't raced since completing his nearly unprecedented Olympic double in Athens last August.

The meet has attracted strong fields in the middle and long distance events. Recently minted U.S. citizen Bernard Lagat, the reigning Olympic silver medallist, and Rui Silva of Portugal, the Olympic bronze medallist, lead the field in the 1500, while Kenyan Paul Bitok tops the field in the 3000. Alberto Garcia of Spain, who returned to competition after a two-year EPO suspension last Tuesday in a 2000 meter race in Rivas, Spain, is also in the 3000 field.

Hasna Benhassi of Morocco, the Olympic silver medallist in the 800, leads the field in the women's 800.