Morocco Gets a Gold

For the 29-year-old Guerrouj, who was hugged by Lagat after the race, the gold medal was simply redemption. The world-record holder in the 1,500 meters, he had been unbeatable on nearly every stage but the Olympics. In 1996, in Atlanta, he crashed into another runner and fell, finishing last. In 2000, Noah Ngeny of Kenya outran him in the final 50 meters, and Guerrouj wept, saying he had let down his country.