Hassiba Boulmerka
(IOC)
Updated: 2007-07-25 17:59
Barcelona, 8 August 1992: Hassiba BOULMERKA from Algeria, 1st, in action during the 1500m event. Credit: Getty Images/Nathan Bilow
Born: 10 July 1968
Birthplace: Constantine (Algeria)
Nationality: Algeria
Sport: Athletics
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Seoul 1988
Barcelona 1992
Atlanta 1996
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 1
Other results:
World Championships
Gold: 2 (91, 95)
Bronze: 1 (93)
Algerian Role Model
In 1991, Hassiba Boulmerka of Algeria scored a stunning upset victory in the 1 500m run at the World Athletics Championships. When she returned to Algiers, she was hailed as a national heroine and as a model for Arab women who wanted to break away from restrictive roles.
But she was also condemned by Islamic fundamentalists and was forced to move to Europe to train. In the 1992 Olympic final, Lyudmila Rogacheva of Russia set a torrid pace and burned away the rest of the field ... except for Boulmerka. Two hundred metres from the finish, Boulmerka drove past Rogacheva and cruised to victory.
The race was the first in which four women finished in less than four minutes. Later, Boulmerka was one of the first people to be directly elected to the Athletes' Commission of the International Olympic Committee.
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