Morceli Runs Lonesome 1,500-Meter World Record

Noureddine Morceli may be missing only one thing to run faster--competition.

He set his second world record in 10 days, with another solo finish as he broke his world mark in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3 minutes 27.37 seconds Wednesday at the Nikaia Grand Prix track and field meet.

“I felt extraordinary,” Morceli, 25, said after shattering the record of 3:28.86 he set in September 1992. “If I had someone with me [on the final lap] I could have gone 3:25 or 3:26.

“I am very happy with the time, but my real motivation is to reach 3:25.”

The Algerian ran alone over the final 550 meters, much as he did July 3 at Paris, where he bettered the 2,000-meter mark with a clocking of 4:47.88.

He owns six world records--outdoor in the 1,500, mile (3:44.39), 2,000 and 3,000 (7:25.11) and indoor in 1,500 (3:34.16) and 1,000 (2:15.26).

“I respect all my records,” Morceli said. “But the 1,500 and mile are pretty high.”

Morceli’s brother, Ali, set the pace of 54.89 seconds for the first 400 meters and led through 800 meters. Then Morceli passed 1,200 in 2:47.02, just under his pace at Rieti, Italy, three years ago.

He finished strongly with about 53.3 over the final 400 meters.

Morceli’s record came on the same track where another classic 1,500 was held.

In 1985 at Nice, Britain’s Steve Cram and Morocco’s Said Aouita hooked up in a classic 1,500 duel. Both went under the world record, with Cram winning in 3:29.67.

That lasted until Morceli lowered it three years ago.

William Kemei of Kenya finished second in 3:31.40.

Venuste Niyongabo of Burundi came within a second of Morceli’s 2,000 record, winning in 4:48.69.

Niyongabo was ahead of Morceli’s pace at 800 meters, with 1:55.80 compared to 1:57.06 for the Algerian. At 1,600 meters, Niyongabo was still slightly ahead, 3:52.34 compared to Morceli’s 3:52.82.

Niyongabo finished the final 400 in 56.35, and Morceli’s was just over 55.

In other events, Danny Harris, the 1984 Olympic silver medalist, continued his comeback with a 47.98-second victory in the 400 hurdles, and Marie Jose-Perec of France returned to the event where she won the Olympic and 1991 world title--the 400, winning in 50.21, the season’s best.