Morocco's Olympic 5000m and 1500m champion Hicham El Guerrouj has retired from athletics.

"`I am quitting competition,'' a tearful El Guerrouj said in Casablanca yesterday.

"I have no willingness or motivation to continue competing. I am quitting racing to spend more time with my family and focus on my business.''

El Guerrouj, 31, considered the greatest 1500m runner in history and known as the king of the mile, has not competed since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

His 1500m and 5000m double in Athens had not been achieved since another legend Paavo Nurmi of Finland accomplished it in 1924.

El Guerrouj missed last season with a virus and pulled out of the indoor world championships in Moscow in March with a back injury.

He holds the 1500m world record of 3min 26sec and has won the world title four times. He also has the world marks for the mile (3:43.13) and 2000m (4:44.79).

"Today's tears are of joy and not of pain," said El Guerrouj.

"I end my career of 19 years officially, in which you (Moroccans) and I, have lived through many happy moments. I thank all those who have accompanied me throughout my career. I thank my family, my wife, my daughter and his majesty the King."

The president of the sport's governing body the IAAF, Lamine Diack, said El Guerrouj was a legend.

"He has brightened up the athletics world with his excellent performances, impressed with his elegant running style, and drew gasps because of his determination to push back the boundaries of his own limits,'' he said.

"I want to remember that his exemplary career is not only his multiple records, world records and other hard-earned honours but, above all, his generosity and kindness.''

In Athens the Moroccan exorcised the demons of previous Olympics. He fell at the bell at the 1996 Atlanta Games and he was outsprinted in Sydney by Kenyan Noah Ngeny.

But in Athens he won the 1500m final in style, pouncing at 800m to hold off Kenyan Bernard Lagat. He then won the track clash of the Games, in the 5000m against Ethiopia's 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele. ________________________________________

Hicham El Guerrouj fact file

Born: September 14, 1974
Birthplace: Berkane, Morocco
Height: 1.75m
Weight: 63kg

Olympic Games
2004: 1st 1500m, 5000m
2000: 2nd 1500m

World championships
1995: 2nd 1500m
1997: 1st 1500m
1999: 1st 1500m
2001: 1st 1500m
2003: 1st 1500m, 2nd 5000m

Indoor world championships
1995: 1st 1500m
1997: 1st 1500m

Outdoor World records
1500m. Mile, 2000m