El Guerrouj says IAAF must bolster middle distances
"In general the youth is more interested in doing different sports like soccer, tennis."
By Matt Smith, Reuters
DUBAI (Reuters) - Mile and 1500 meter world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj has called on athletics' world governing body to bolster public interest in middle distance running which has been overshadowed by the feats of Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt.
He said youngsters were also being lured away from athletics to other sports which was a problem the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had to solve.
"Usain Bolt is doing a great job for track and field, but he's casting a shadow over other races, which is very hard for those athletes, so it's the role of the IAAF to promote these to be more in the limelight," El Guerrouj said.
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