Abderrahim Goumri
MOROCCO
BIRTHDATE:
May 21, 1976
PERSONAL BEST:
2:05:30 (London, 2008)
WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:
02Nov08 ING New York City Marathon 2nd 2:09:07
24Aug08 Olympic Games Marathon 20th 2:15:00
13Apr08 Flora London Marathon 3rd 2:05:30
04Nov07 ING New York City Marathon 2nd 2:09:16
25Aug07 IAAF World Championships Marathon, Osaka DNF
22Apr07 Flora London Marathon 2nd 2:07:44
CAREER NOTES:
The last man to challenge eventual winner Martin Lel at the 2007 Flora London was not one of the tested veterans such as Felix Limo, Jaouad Gharib, Paul Tergat or Haile Gebrselassie. Instead it was Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri, running his first 42.2-K race, and he came up just three seconds in arrears in a sparkling marathon debut.
History was revisited at New York City in the fall as Goumri again wound up second to Lel, after sticking with the Kenyan until the final half-mile.
Goumri returned to London in 2008 where the results were good news and bad news. The bad was that he dropped to a third place finish, but the good was that he set a new Moroccan national record of 2:05:30. It was the fastest third place time in history and made him the sixth fastest marathoner of all-time.
Although picked as a medal contender for the 2008 Beijijng Olympic Marathon, Goumri placed 15th in 2:15:00. He then returned to New York City where despite leading late in the race, he again wound up second.
Goumri has had a solid career on the track placing eighth in the 2005 World Championships 10,000 meters (27:14.65) and 13th at the 2004 Olympic Games 5000 meters (13:47.27). He has personal bests in those events of 27:02.62 and 12:50.25 respectively. He has represented Morocco on many occasions at the World Cross-Country Championships and his first international appearance was with the 1995 junior team that earned a bronze medal.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Goumri was born in Safi, Morocco and his first organized athletics club was the Olympique de Safi. Other noted runners for that club have included Khalid and Brahim Boulami and Rachid Ramzi.
