Morocco's El Gerrouj signs 1,500 m world season's lead in golden gala meet

World 1,500 m champion, Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj, signed on Friday the year's best performance in the 1,500 m race which he covered in 3.29.76 in the Golden Gala meet, third stage of the Athletics Golden League.

The second rank was grabbed by Kenya's Benjamin Kipkuri (3:32.86), followed by Spanish Reyes Estevez (3:32.86).

It was also in the Rome's Stadio Olympico venue that the Moroccan had established the 1,500 world record in 1998 (3:26.00) and the mile world record in 1999 (3:43.13).

Another Moroccan, Salah Hissou, winner of the Rome meet in 1996 and 2002, with respectively a personal record (12:50.80) and the season's best performance (12:55.85) finished seven on the 5,000 race.

In the women's category, Morocco's Mina Ait Hammou came in third in the 800 m race (1:57.82), after Mozambique's Maria Mutola and Slovenia's Yolanda Ceplak.