Bare legs and blind faith

Before the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 a shoe company ran an advertising campaign that used the slogan: 'Have you heard the Algerian national anthem? You will.'

The campaign was built around Noureddine Morceli, the world record holder in the 1500 metres, who failed to win. But the Algerian national anthem was still heard thanks to the victory of Hassiba Boulmerka in the women's corresponding event.

That win was a significant moment in the women's liberation movement because Boulmerka was transformed not only into a national heroine but into a symbol for Arab women who wanted to break away from traditional Islamic restrictions.

The seeds of Boulmerka's struggle flowered wonderfully in Stadium Australia in the shape of Nouria Merah-Benida here last night. The 29-year-old Algerian stepped out of international obscurity to follow in the footsteps of her famous fellow countrywoman with a brilliant 1500m victory.

Cheered on by a wildly excited Boulmerka, who had been introduced to the crowd before the race, Merah-Bedina held off a high-quality field to claim one of the most unexpected victories in these Games of unexpected victories. It meant the Algerian national anthem once again rung around an Olympic stadium.

Merah-Benida is so unknown that she rates only six lines in the Who's Who in Athletics , a book that devotes up to a half-a-page to many names. Before last night the biggest moment of her career had been finishing second in the 800 and 1500m at the 1999 African Games. But she had never before got beyond the heats of a major global championships.

Her victory was made easier by a collision involving Britain's Hayley Tullett and Romania's Gabriela Szabo on the first lap that saw the Swansea runner crash to the ground. 'The lady from England [sic] got in my way, she broke my racing,' said Szabo, the winner of the 5000m last Monday. 'It was very difficult for me.'

While Tullett slumped to eleventh - one place ahead of America's Suzy Favor Hamilton, another faller on the last lap - and ended the race in tears, Szabo launched an astonishing recovery over the final 300 metres that saw her move from the back of the field to take the bronze.

Kelly Holmes, the surprise bronze medallist in the 800m, found this one race too far. She finished seventh, 0.28 and one place ahead of Marla Runyan, the American who is legally blind. Runyan, whose battle with Stargardt's Disease made her a paralympian before she stepped up in class, led early in the race before finishing eighth.

'It was a very strange, disappointing race in that no one wanted to take it out,' she said. 'That's why I took the lead. I wanted some people to run the real distance and that was frustrating.

'So I took the pace around the second lap, which in some ways is suicidal, because it's tough to lead and carry it through the finish. But I wanted the pace to be honest.'

But to Runyan, eighth place made her feel like a winner, especially as she finished ahead of Portugal's 1997 world champion Carla Sacramento.

She became the first blind athlete to compete in the Games and her campaign to qualify for the US team and make it to the final was an inspiration to people battling vision problems of their own.

Her disease has blocked the middle of her vision, but she can see at the periphery. The race is often a blur, but Runyan memorises the colours and hairstyles of the top competitors so she can track her own progress.

Just as Runyan's performances had implications beyond this arena, Merah-Benida's victory will resonate around the Arab world. After Barcelona, Boulmerka was denounced in mosques across the country for 'running with naked legs in front of thousands of men' and in some parts of Algeria was stoned.

Well, 110,000 people saw Merah-Bedina run with naked legs here and they cheered her to the rafters. 'This is for the Arab women so they can develop like other women of the world,' Merah-Benida said. 'I'm very happy that Arab women now have the chance to run at the Olympics. It wasn't easy to get here.'