Algerian Olympic champions Noureddine Morceli and Hassiba Boulmerka have been appointed as ambassadors for the inaugural edition of the African School Games, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 5 in the cities of Constantine, Annaba, Sétif, and Skikda, according to a statement released by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) on Wednesday.
The two athletes will be responsible for visiting and encouraging African delegations in Annaba, Constantine, Skikda, and Sétif. Their goal is to inspire both participating athletes and the youth of Algeria and Africa through their exemplary careers, as stated by the African organization.
Morceli, born on February 28, 1970, in Sidi Akkacha, Chlef, serves as a sports advisor in physical education at Riverside University in California. He is a former Olympic champion and a four-time world champion in the 1500 meters, having set seven world records (five outdoors and two indoors) at distances ranging from 1500m to 3000m. Additionally, he held the position of Secretary of State for Elite Sports in January 2020.
Meanwhile, Hassiba Boulmerka is the vice-president of the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee (COA). She made history by winning Algeria’s first Olympic gold medal in the 1500m at the 1992 Barcelona Games and boasts two world titles, which she achieved in Tokyo in 1991 and Gothenburg in 1995.
Under the esteemed patronage of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the African School Games represent a collaborative initiative between the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the International School Sport Federation (ISF). This initiative was established following a convention signed during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
