Morocco competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's eleventh appearance at the Olympics, except the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, because of its partial support to the United States boycott.

Comité Olympique Marocain sent a total of 55 athletes, 47 men and 8 women, to compete in 9 sports. Men's football was the only team-based sport in which Morocco had its representation at these Olympic Games. There was only a single competitor in fencing, swimming, and weightlifting. The Moroccan team featured four Olympic medalists from Sydney: boxer Tahar Tamsamani, steeplechaser Ali Ezzine, middle-distance runner and top favorite Hicham El Guerrouj, and hurdler and former world champion Nezha Bidouane, who later became the nation's first ever female flag bearer in the opening ceremony.

Morocco left Athens with a total of three Olympic medals (two gold and one silver), being considered the most successful Olympics based on the gold medal count. As one of the major highlights of these Games, Hicham El Guerrouj set an Olympic historical milestone as the first ever Moroccan athlete to strike a distance double (1500–5000) since Paavo Nurmi did so in 1924, and the first to claim a gold since the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where Khalid Skah won the men's 10,000 metres title. On August 29, 2004, at the time of the closing ceremony, El Guerrouj was elected to the IOC Athletes' Commission, along with three other athletes. Meanwhile, the silver medal was awarded to fellow middle-distance runner Hasna Benhassi in the women's 800 metres.

Medalists

Medal Name Sport Event Date Athletics Men's 1500 m Athletics Men's 5000 m Athletics Women's 800 m

Athletics

Moroccan athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).

Men Track & road events AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankMohammed Amyne10000 mcolspan=4 28:55.9618Youssef Baba1500 m3:38.717 q3:42.9610Did not advanceHicham Bellani5000 m13:22.646 qcolspan=2 13:31.819Mouhssin Chehibi800 m1:46.772 Q1:44.623 q1:45.164Abdelatif Chemlal3000 m steeplechase8:29.369colspan=2 Did not advanceKhalid El BoumliliMarathoncolspan=4 Hicham El Guerrouj1500 m3:37.861 Q3:40.871 Q3:34.185000 m13:21.873 Qcolspan=2 13:14.39Ali Ezzine3000 m steeplechase8:20.185 qcolspan=2 8:15.588Rachid GhanmouniMarathoncolspan=4 Jaouad Gharibcolspan=4 2:15:1211Abderrahim Goumri5000 m13:20.035 Qcolspan=2 13:47.2713Adil Kaouch1500 m3:39.884 Q3:35.691 Q3:38.269Amine Laalou800 m1:45.881 Q1:47.537Did not advanceZouhair Ouerdi3000 m steeplechase8:27.554colspan=2 Did not advance

Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionYahya BerrabahLong jump7.6230Did not advanceTarik Bouguetaïb7.7924Did not advance

Women Track & road events AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankAmina Aït Hammou800 m2:03.702 Q2:00.667Did not advanceSeltana Aït Hammou2:03.952 Q2:00.646Did not advanceHasna Benhassi800 m2:01.201 Q1:58.591 Q1:56.43 NR1500 m4:05.985 q4:07.395 q4:12.9012Nezha Bidouane400 m hurdles55.693Did not advanceBouchra Ghezielle1500 mDid not advanceHafida IzemMarathoncolspan=4 2:40:4627Kenza Wahbicolspan=4 2:41:3630

Boxing

Morocco sent seven boxers to Athens. Only two of them won their first bouts, including Sydney bronze medalist Tahar Tamsamani, and both were defeated in the second round to give the team a combined record of 2–7.

AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankRedouane BouchtoukLight flyweightL 25–48Did not advanceHicham MesbahiFlyweightW 25–20L 20–33Did not advanceHamid Ait BighradeBantamweightL 17–25Did not advanceTahar TamsamaniLightweightL 22–30Did not advanceNafil HichamLight welterweightW 42–40L 13–33Did not advanceAit Hammi MiloudWelterweightL 15–30Did not advanceRachid El HaddakHeavyweightL Did not advance

Fencing

One Moroccan fencer qualified for the following events:

Men AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / Opposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreRankAissam RamiIndividual épéeL 6–15Did not advance

Football

The Morocco national football team qualified for the Olympics after getting a go-ahead penalty goal in their final qualifying match against Angola.

Men's tournament

Roster

Group play

Judo

Two Moroccan judoka qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage 1Repechage 2Repechage 3Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankYounes AhamdiMen's −60 kgL 0000–1000Did not advanceAdil BelgaidMen's −81 kgL 0000–1020Did not advanceW 0013–0001L 0000–0201Did not advance

Swimming

Men AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankAdil Bellaz200 m freestyle1:55.7953Did not advance

Taekwondo

Three Moroccan taekwondo jin qualified for the following events.

AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage 1Repechage 2Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankAbdelkader ZrouriMen's +80 kgW 8–5L 2–5Did not advanceW 6–2L 1–3Did not advance5Mouna BenabderassoulWomen's −67 kgW 6–2L 4–4 Did not advanceMounia BourguigueWomen's +67 kgL 4–6Did not advance

Tennis

Morocco nominated two male tennis players to compete in the tournament.

AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankHicham AraziMen's singlesL 3–6, 1–6Did not advanceYounes El AynaouiL 3–6, 4–6Did not advanceHicham AraziYounes El AynaouiMen's doublesL Did not advance

Weightlifting

One Moroccan weightlifter qualified for the following events:

AthleteEventSnatchClean & JerkTotalRankResultRankResultRankYacine ZouakiMen's −62 kg95181301622515

See also Morocco at the 2004 Summer Paralympics Morocco at the 2005 Mediterranean Games

References

External links Official Report of the XXVIII Olympiad Moroccan Olympic Committee