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El Guerrouj goes for gold
Four-time world champion Hicham El Guerrouj will go in search of an elusive Olympic 1500m title today.
World record holder and four-time world champion Hicham El Guerrouj goes in search of an elusive Olympic 1500 metres title on Tuesday in one of the highlights of the Games.
The Moroccan eased through qualifying into the final on Sunday and declared himself ready for the challenge of Kenya's in-form Bernard Lagat.
El Guerrouj fell in the 1996 Olympic final and was sensationally beaten in 2000 by Kenya's Noah Ngeny after winning 28 straight finals leading into the Sydney Games.
"I am confident it will be third time lucky for me. Just wait and see, I'll make you believe me," said El Guerrouj.
Lagat also cruised through qualifying.
Justin Gatlin, the newly crowned 100m champion, teams up with his training partner Shawn Crawford again to mount a challenge in the first round of the 200m.
With reigning champion Konstatinos Kenteris out of the Games after his missed drugs test saga, it is hard to see who can prevent the United States from completing a men's sprint double.
The women's pole vault world record could be in danger in a battle between the two Russians, Yelena Isinbayeva and Svetlana Feofanova. Stacy Dragila will not defend her title after the American crashed out in qualifying, a victim of new spikes that were too tight.
Isinbayeva pushed the record up to 4.90m in London last month.
Gail Devers' attempt to win the 100m hurdles title that has always escaped her ended without her clearing a single barrier in Sunday's first round.
So expect Perdita Felicien of Canada to add the Olympic gold medal to the world title she collected in style last year in Paris.
Ana Guevara of Mexico will have the hopes of a nation on her shoulders as she looks for glory in the women's 400m.
Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas could stand in Guevara's way, especially as the Mexican has not shown the domination this year that she enjoyed last year.
