(10/10/2004)

Algeria’s Baya Rahouli has captured an unprecedented four gold medals at the 10th Pan-Arab Games in Algiers.

Local heroine Rahouli, a specialist triple jumper, won the women's 100m Hurdles, the 100m flat, Triple Jump and Long Jump titles to send fans at the 65,000 seater ‘July 5 Stadium’ into frenzy.

She took the Long Jump with a leap of 6.19m, the 100 hurdles in 13.49, and won the 100m in a time of 11.84.

The 25 year old Algerian, who had set a national record of 14.98 during the Olympics, leapt past Sudan’s World Indoor silver medallist Yamile Aldama to win the women’s Triple Jump 14.49 to Aldama's 14.31m.

The Sudanese with a best of 15.28 this year, had beaten Rahouli in the Athens Olympics coming fifth with 14.99, while the Algerian finished one place further back with 14.86.

Rahouli holds the national record in all three events with a best of 11.51 (11.1 hand timed) for the 100m, and 6.70m for the Long Jump.

The men’s 110m Hurdles was won by Todd Jouda Matthews, Sudan’s African champion in 13.21, a time which subject to ratification is a massive new Area record (previous Shaun Bownes RSA 13.26 in 2001).

Former two-time World 400m Hurdles champion Nezha Bidouane took the Pan-Arab Games title in 55.98 seconds, well clear of Moussa Houria of Algeria in 57.51.

Morocco’s Meftah Abdellatif, who has a best of 61:32 (2003), won the men’s half marathon race in 1:05.33 from Algeria’s 29 year-old Said Belhout who came second, just twelve seconds adrift.

Tunisia’s three-time African champion Sirine Balti won the women’s Pole Vault (3.90), and Algeria’s Sarah Bouaoudia set an Arab record in the women's High Jump (1.80m).

The 10th Pan Arab Games, which opened on the 24 September, is a multi-sport festival composed of 26 different sports as well as some additional disability events.

It is exactly 50 years since the first edition of the Games was held in Alexandria, Egypt in 1953.

The 11th edition of the Pan-Arab Games will take place in Libya in 2007.