Amine Laâlou
Encyclopedia
Amine Laâlou is a male middle distance runner from Morocco
, who specializes in middle-distance running. He has represented his country at the Summer Olympics on two occasions; in 2004 and 2008. He began his career as an 800 metres
specialist and made his global debut at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
. He won medals at smaller international competitions, including the 2004 Pan Arab Games
and 2005 Mediterranean Games
. He reached his first global final at the 2007 World Championships
, taking sixth, and was a semi-finalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
He began competing in the 1500 metres
and was a double finalist at the 2009 World Championships
. He also won gold medal
s at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
and 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
that year. In 2010 he won silver at the 2010 African Championships
and was the 1500 m champion at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
. His personal best over the 800 m is 1:43.25, which is the Moroccan record
for the event.
career competing at the younger levels, running over 800 m at the inaugural World Youth Championships in 1999
and reaching the semi-finals at the 2000 World Junior Championships
. He won the silver medal
at the 2001 African Junior Championships and made the 800 m semi-finals of the senior event at the 2002 African Championships
. He made his senior debut on the global stage at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
, although he did not progress beyond the heats stage.
He came close to winning a medal at the 2004 World Indoor Championships
but he missed out after coming fourth in the 800 m behind Brazil's Osmar dos Santos
. He improved his personal best to 1:43.68 at the Weltklasse Zürich
meeting prior to the 2004 Summer Olympics
. He did not build on this form on his Olympic debut, however, as he was eliminated in his semi-final and finished in seventh place. Laâlou qualified for the 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
but again finished in seventh place. He closed his season on a high note as he reached the podium twice at the 2004 Pan Arab Games
a month later, winning the bronze medal
over 800 m and anchoring home the Moroccan 4×400 metres relay team to the silver medal behind Saudi Arabia.
The build up to his 2005 outdoor season began with a gold medal
at the Islamic Solidarity Games
and he followed this with a regional bronze behind the Spanish contingent at the 2005 Mediterranean Games
. He competed at the 2005 World Championships
and was fifth in his semi-final. There were no major competitions for the Moroccan in 2006 but his year was highlighted by a win at the Golden Gala where he improved his 800 m best to 1:43.25, which made him the second fastest athlete of the season after Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
. He also finished sixth at the 2006 World Athletics Final
. He reached his first global final the following season, finishing sixth in the 800 m at the 2007 World Championships
in Osaka
. He was just short of the medals at the 2007 World Athletics Final
with a fourth place finish.
He performed poorly at the 2008 World Indoor Championships
and failed to make it out of the 800 m heats. Competing in the 2008 IAAF Golden League
circuit, he continued his rich vein of form at the Golden Gala with a win in 1:44.27. Taking part in his second Olympics, he was a semi-finalist in the 800 m at the 2008 Beijing Games
. He began to add the 1500 metres
to his oeuvre in the 2009 season and he reached both the 800 m and 1500 m finals at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
. He was tenth in the 1500 m but managed fifth place at his preferred 800 m event. He also became the regional 800 m champion with a win at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
and a 800/1500 m double at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
.
In 2010 he improved his 1500 m best to 3:29.53 and his best in the mile run to 3:50.22. That year he was fifth over 1500 m at the 2010 World Indoor Championships
, took the silver medal outdoors at the 2010 African Championships
, and was selected for the Africa team at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
, where he won the 1500 m gold medal
. He took part in the Fifth Avenue Mile
for the first time that September and beat Bernard Lagat
to win the road race
in a at time of 3:52.83.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, who specializes in middle-distance running. He has represented his country at the Summer Olympics on two occasions; in 2004 and 2008. He began his career as an 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
specialist and made his global debut at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
. He won medals at smaller international competitions, including the 2004 Pan Arab Games
2004 Pan Arab Games
The 10th Pan Arab Games was an international multi-sport event which took place in Algiers, Algeria, between 24 September and 10 October 2004. It witnessed the participation of all Arab League members for the first time – 22 countries participated in 26 sports....
and 2005 Mediterranean Games
2005 Mediterranean Games
The XVth Mediterranean Games Almería 2005, commonly known as the 2005 Mediterranean Games were the 15th Mediterranean Games. The Games were held in Almería, Spain over 10 days, from 24 June to 3 July 2005, where 3,214 athletes from 21 countries participated...
. He reached his first global final at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
, taking sixth, and was a semi-finalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
He began competing in the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
and was a double finalist at the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
. He also won gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
2009 Mediterranean Games
The 2009 Mediterranean Games , officially known as the XVI Mediterranean Games, took place in Pescara, Italy, from 25 June to 5 July, 2009...
and 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie, also known as VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie, were held from September 27 to October 6 in Beirut, Lebanon.-Organization:...
that year. In 2010 he won silver at the 2010 African Championships
2010 African Championships in Athletics
The 2010 African Championships in Athletics was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 July to 1 August 2010.-Background:The African Championships in Athletics were held in Kenya for the first time...
and was the 1500 m champion at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
2010 IAAF Continental Cup
The 1st IAAF Continental Cup was an international track and field sporting event held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations. Originally scheduled as the 11th IAAF World Cup in Athletics, it was renamed in 2008 when the IAAF revamped the competition format...
. His personal best over the 800 m is 1:43.25, which is the Moroccan record
Moroccan records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Morocco maintained by Moroccan Royal Athletics Federation: Fédération Royale Marocaine d’Athlétisme .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distance# = not officially ratified...
for the event.
Career
He started his international trackTrack and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
career competing at the younger levels, running over 800 m at the inaugural World Youth Championships in 1999
1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics
The 1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics was the first edition of the World Youth Championships in Athletics. It was held in Bydgoszcz, Poland from July 16 to July 18, 1999.-Boys:-Girls:-Medals table:...
and reaching the semi-finals at the 2000 World Junior Championships
2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2000 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Santiago, Chile.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...
. He won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 2001 African Junior Championships and made the 800 m semi-finals of the senior event at the 2002 African Championships
2002 African Championships in Athletics
The 13th African Championships in Athletics were held in Tunis and Radès, Tunisia in August, 2002.- Men's Results :-Field:-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
. He made his senior debut on the global stage at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
, although he did not progress beyond the heats stage.
He came close to winning a medal at the 2004 World Indoor Championships
2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004...
but he missed out after coming fourth in the 800 m behind Brazil's Osmar dos Santos
Osmar dos Santos
Osmar Barbosa dos Santos is a Brazilian middle distance runner who competes mostly over 800 metres. He started competing internationally around year 2000, and won a bronze medal at the 2004 World Indoor Championships....
. He improved his personal best to 1:43.68 at the Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich is an annual track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the first large-scale international athletics events , it is sometimes referred to as the one day...
meeting prior to the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. He did not build on this form on his Olympic debut, however, as he was eliminated in his semi-final and finished in seventh place. Laâlou qualified for the 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 2nd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 18, and September 19, 2004.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary a week previous as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.One of...
but again finished in seventh place. He closed his season on a high note as he reached the podium twice at the 2004 Pan Arab Games
Athletics at the 2004 Pan Arab Games
At the 2004 Pan Arab Games, the athletics events were held at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers, Algeria from 4 to 8 October 2004. A total of 45 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 22 by female athletes. The host country topped the medal table having won a 16 gold medals and 34 medals...
a month later, winning the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
over 800 m and anchoring home the Moroccan 4×400 metres relay team to the silver medal behind Saudi Arabia.
The build up to his 2005 outdoor season began with a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the Islamic Solidarity Games
Athletics at the 2005 Islamic Solidarity Games
Athletics were contested at the 2005 Islamic Solidarity Games in Mecca, Saudi Arabia from April 12 to April 16, 2005.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*...
and he followed this with a regional bronze behind the Spanish contingent at the 2005 Mediterranean Games
Athletics at the 2005 Mediterranean Games
The Athletics competition at the 2005 Mediterranean Games was held in the Mediterraneo Stadium in Almería, Spain from 29 June to 2 July 2005.-Men's:-Women's:-Medal table:-References:**...
. He competed at the 2005 World Championships
2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
and was fifth in his semi-final. There were no major competitions for the Moroccan in 2006 but his year was highlighted by a win at the Golden Gala where he improved his 800 m best to 1:43.25, which made him the second fastest athlete of the season after Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
Mbulaeni Tongai Mulaudzi is a South African middle distance runner, and the 2009 world champion in the men's 800 metres. He carried the flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece for his native country...
. He also finished sixth at the 2006 World Athletics Final
2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*...
. He reached his first global final the following season, finishing sixth in the 800 m at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. He was just short of the medals at the 2007 World Athletics Final
2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 5th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 22 and September 23, 2007.-Men:- Women :-External links:*...
with a fourth place finish.
He performed poorly at the 2008 World Indoor Championships
2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Luis Puig Palace in Valencia, Spain, March 7-9, 2008.-Bid:Valencia was announced the winning bidder by the IAAF on November 13, 2005 at an IAAF Council meeting in Moscow, Russia.-Men:...
and failed to make it out of the 800 m heats. Competing in the 2008 IAAF Golden League
2008 IAAF Golden League
The 2008 Golden League was the 11th edition of the IAAF's annual series of six athletics meets, held across Europe, with athletes having the chance to win the Golden League Jackpot of $1 million.-Programme:- Men :- Women :...
circuit, he continued his rich vein of form at the Golden Gala with a win in 1:44.27. Taking part in his second Olympics, he was a semi-finalist in the 800 m at the 2008 Beijing Games
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. He began to add the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
to his oeuvre in the 2009 season and he reached both the 800 m and 1500 m finals at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
. He was tenth in the 1500 m but managed fifth place at his preferred 800 m event. He also became the regional 800 m champion with a win at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
Athletics at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
At the 2009 Mediterranean Games, the athletics events were held in Pescara, Italy from 30 June to 3 July.-Medal summary:-Men:-Women:-Disability athletics:-Games records:-Medal table:Key:-Participating nations:...
and a 800/1500 m double at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
Athletics at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
At the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie, the athletics events were held at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium from October 1 to October 6...
.
In 2010 he improved his 1500 m best to 3:29.53 and his best in the mile run to 3:50.22. That year he was fifth over 1500 m at the 2010 World Indoor Championships
2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics was held between 12 and 14 March at the ASPIRE Dome in Doha, Qatar. The championships was the first of six IAAF World Athletics Series events to take place in 2010.-Bidding and organisation:...
, took the silver medal outdoors at the 2010 African Championships
2010 African Championships in Athletics
The 2010 African Championships in Athletics was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 July to 1 August 2010.-Background:The African Championships in Athletics were held in Kenya for the first time...
, and was selected for the Africa team at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
2010 IAAF Continental Cup
The 1st IAAF Continental Cup was an international track and field sporting event held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations. Originally scheduled as the 11th IAAF World Cup in Athletics, it was renamed in 2008 when the IAAF revamped the competition format...
, where he won the 1500 m gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
. He took part in the Fifth Avenue Mile
Fifth Avenue Mile
The Fifth Avenue Mile is an annual road race in New York City. The race begins at East 80th Street and heads straight down Fifth Avenue to East 60th Street...
for the first time that September and beat Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
to win the road race
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
in a at time of 3:52.83.
Personal bests
- 400 metres400 metresThe 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
– 47.57 seconds (2005) - 800 metres800 metresThe 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
– 1:43.25 minutes (2006) - 1500 metres1500 metresThe 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
– 3:29.53 minutes (2010)