New Delhi, Aug. 2 -- In an empty Singapore classroom in 2010, a grand Moroccan lamented in the quiet.

Ten years after he lost in Sydney 2000, overtaken just before the line in the 1,500m, his greatness metres short of Olympic validation, Hicham El Guerrouj's voice still carried a faint shadow of pain during our interview.

"I woke up (the next day)," said this legendary middle distance runner, whose mile record from 1999 was finally broken this July by Josh Kerr, "and I realised I am not Olympic champion."

Left unsaid were the questions which haunted him: How did I not win? How am I not good enough? What did I train for?

Triumph is intoxicating, yet it's the athletes' turbulent days which are most illuminating for therein lies struggle...