Alain Mimoun
Alain Mimoun ( born January 1, 1921 in El Telagh as Ali Mimoun Ould Kacha, † June 27, 2013 in Saint- Mandé, Île -de -France ) was a French long-distance runner of Algerian origin and Olympic gold medalist in the marathon.
Career
He grew up as a shepherd 's son into an Algerian Berber village. When he entered the French colonial army in 1939, he gave himself the name Alain. During World War II he fought in Italy, where he escaped after an injury by a grenade barely a leg amputation.
After the war he was a waiter in the café of the Racing Club de France, where his career began to take step runs. He was eight times champion of France about 5000 meters and twelve times in the 10,000 meters. At the European Championships in Brussels in 1950 he won the silver medal behind Emil Zatopek over 5000 and 10,000 meters.
In the Olympics, it was a victory but initially denied. Three times over 5000 meters at the Games in London in 1948 and over 5000 and 10,000 meters at the Games in 1952, Mimoun had the silver medal behind his chief rival, the Czech Emil Zatopek, satisfied. Despite the sporting rivalry Zatopek and Mimoun were close friends. The last time the two met for the end of their sporting careers in the marathon competition of the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne against each other.
The race took place on a very hot day, which Zatopek, already handicapped by injuries, busied while Mimoun, who ran his first ever marathon, seemed to feel comfortable at temperatures above 30 ° C and at kilometer 25 from the rest of the field deposed. After 2:25:00 h Mimoun as crossed the finish line first. There he waited for his friend Emil Zatopek, who finished sixth, completely exhausted by the extreme heat. Mimoun Zatopek asked: " Emil, do not you congratulate me? I am the Olympic champion. " Thereupon Mimoun and Zatopek embraced. Later Mimoun called this moment more valuable than his gold medal.
After this victory, sat Mimoun his career continued. With almost 40 years, he was again in the French team for the 1960 Olympics in Rome. 1966 Mimoun was the sixth time French champion in the marathon. In the same year he ran the 10,000 meters in 30:16.8 minutes - until today the world's third- fastest time in the age group 45 M
Mimoun was appointed commander of the Legion of Honor and was elected " nation's athletes of the century". Over 50 sports venues were named after him in France. 1949 and 1956, he was chosen by the sports newspaper L' Équipe France's Sportsman of the Year ( " champion of champions" ). In 1999 followed the award to French athlete of the century.
Awards
- Ritter ( 1956), Officer (1972 ), Commander ( 1999) and the Grand Officer (2008) Legion of Honor
- Commander of the Order of Merit for the sports sector
- Knight of the Ordre national du Mérite