Saint-Denis, France — Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco cruised to his fourth straight 1,500-metre world track championship title Wednesday and 400-metre ace Ana Guevera remained unbeaten in 20 races to give Mexico gold.
El Guerrouj, the world record-holder, was never in trouble during the race and finished in a leisurely three minutes 31.77 seconds. European champion Mehdi Baala gave the host nation a silver medal.
"I am still the king of 1,500, I've protected my kingdom," said El Guerrouj. On Thursday, if he feels fit enough, he will run the 5,000 heats and continue his quest for a unique 1,500-5,000 double at the championships.
Baala clocked 3:32.31 and Ivan Heshko of Ukraine had 3:33.17.
Baala had the loud support of a full house at the Stade de France but the Moroccan took control with two laps left and never looked behind.
"I was running against 60,000 people," El Guerrouj said. "It was a magnificent race."
He played air guitar in celebration and started dancing after he was mobbed by team officials.
In winning the 400, Guevara set a personal best and the season's fastest time of 48.89 seconds. Bronze medallist two years ago, Guevara has not been beaten since.
Guevara entered the home straight well in the lead and extended it to beat Lorraine Fenton of Jamaica, who clocked 49.43. Amy Mbacke Thiam of Senegal, the last woman to beat Guevera when she won gold in Edmonton two years ago, settled for bronze in 49.95.
Svetlana Krivelyova of Russia won the gold medal in the shot put with a throw of 20.63 metres. Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus was second at 20.12 and Vita Pavlysh of Ukraine took bronze at 20.08.
Former Olympic and three-time world champion Astrid Kumbernuss of Germany failed to qualify for the final.
Cuba's Ivan Pedroso, the four-time defending long jump champion and Olympic gold medallist, pulled out after the first qualifying jump with a foot injury.
Robert Korzeniowski of Poland beat his world best time by more than half a minute to capture his third 50-kilometre title and confirm himself as the greatest race walker in history.
Korzeniowski, a multiple Olympic, world and European champion, finished in three hours 36.03 minutes, beating his old 50-kilometre mark of 3:36.39.
Russia's German Skurygin set a national record of 3:36.42 to take silver and Andreas Erm set a German record of 3:37.46 for bronze. Edmonton's Tim Berrett was 19th.
Korzeniowski is already a triple Olympic champion. At the 2000 Sydney Games, he completed a unique double in the 20K and 50K events.
"It was always a dream to come to Paris," Korzeniowski told the crowd at the Stade de France. He trains in France, speaks fluent French and French fans have long considered him an adopted son.
American Kelli White the 100 champion, stayed on course for a sprint double by cruising into the 200 final, winning her heat with a time of 22.50 seconds, the fourth fastest overall.
