Морокко / Morocco

Morocco were first represented by a team of 47 at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games.

Their first medal was won by Rhadi Ben ABDESELLAM, who finished second in the men's marathon.

Morocco have a fine tradition in athletics and all their gold medals to date have come in this sport.

Morocco's first gold was won by Nawal EL MOUTAWAKEL in the women's 400m hurdles at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. Three days later, Said AOUITA, the overwhelming favourite for the 5,000m in Los Angeles, won Morocco's second Olympic gold. He added a bronze over 800m in Seoul in 1988.

Ibrahim BOUTAYEB took 10,000m gold at the 1988 Games and Khalid SKAH won at the same distance in Barcelona at the 1992 Games.

At Athens 2004, Hicham EL GUERROUJ won gold in 1500m and 5000m, the first to win both these events since Finland's Paavo NURMI in 1924.

EL GUERROUJ had taken silver at the Sydney 2000 Games. Hasna BENHASSI has competed at three successive Olympic Games from 2000-20008.

She claimed silver in the women's 800m in Athens in 2004 and added a bronze over the distance in Beijing in 2008.

Her husband Mouhssin CHEHIBI also competed over the same distance at the same three Olympic Games. Jaouad GHARIB took silver in the men's marathon.