Hicham El Guerrouj to
receive ‘Grand Prix’ award from French Sports Academy
Mohammed Benchrif
9 June 2000 – Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj, 1500m World Champion and world record holder of the same distance will receive on the 19 June at the Paris City Hall , the ‘Grand Prix’ award from the French Academy of Sport.
At the award ceremony, which will be presided over by the Mayor of Paris, Jean Tiberi and the President of the Academy, Alain Danet, several world and French champions from all sporting domains will be recognised for their efforts over the 1998-1999 period.
Hicham El Guerrouj broke two world records in 1999, the mile in Rome on 7 July (3:43.13) and the 2000 metres in Berlin on 7 September (4:44.79). Displaying his total domination over the distance which is his speciality, the Moroccan retained his title in winning 1500m gold at the IAAF World Championships in August of the same year.
Other sports men and women honoured at the ceremony include American cyclist Lance Armstrong, winner of the 1999 Tour de France and Eunice Barber, France’s World heptathlon Champion.
