August 23, 1985: Aouita breaks 1,500-metre record

Aouita breaks 1,500-metre record

1985 - Said Aouita of Morocco broke the world l,500 metres record at the West Berlin Grand Prix athletics meet when he clocked three minutes 29.45 seconds. Aouita finished 0.22 of a second inside the time set by Steve Cram of Britain only last month. After jumping for joy at the end of the race, he hobbled around on his victory lap from pain in his legs. There were tears in his eyes when he left the track. It was his second world record in less than a month. Aouita had broken the 5,000 metres record, also held by a Briton — David Moorcroft — in Oslo last month. Aouita’s pacemakers Volker Blumenthal took him through the first 800 metres in 1:53.50, while Frank O’Mara went to the front for another fast 55-second lap.

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