Sydney games: Algerian woman sole Arab athlete to win gold

Algerian Merah Benida on Saturday became the sole Arab athlete (men and women) to win a gold a medal in the Olympic games currently held in Sydney. Nobody gave Merah Benida as one of the runners-up for the Olympic title of the women's 1,500. But the Algerian defied all her challengers, including the intractable Romanian Gabriella Szabo to bag the title in 4:05.10, ahead of another Romanian Violeta Szekely (4:05.15). Szabo came in third with 4:05.27.