American Middle Men in Morocco

World record holder and arguably the greatest middle distance runner of all time, Hicham El Guerrouj, has taken on a new role in the world of athletics - meet organizer. The two-time Olympic and four-time World champion has assembled fields of excellent caliber in the third edition of the Meeting International Tangiers, held in Morroco. In those fields include a slew of young and promising American runners. Below is a quick and dirty preview of the US runners that will compete in the 1500 meters on Sunday evening.

In El Guerrouj's prime event, the metric mile, three Americans will toe the line - 2007 world champion Bernard Lagat, and the 1-2 finishers from last month's NCAA championship 1500 meters, former teammates A.J. Acosta and Andrew Wheating. Acosta had a phenomenal championship run for the NCAA runner-up Oregon Ducks, while Wheating has recently run 3:51.74 for the mile at the Prefontaine Classic, and finished fourth in the 800 meters in the Paris Diamond League meet on Friday in a personal best time of 1:44.62. These two studs may be an integral part of the future of American middle distance running, and tonight, they will pair up with the veteran Lagat, whose ascent in distance this year has been highlight by a 7:32.49 3k in Ostrava in May and the American Record in the 5000m - 12:54.12 at the Bislett Games in Oslo in early June. The Americans will face a large field that includes Morocco's own Abdelaati Iguider, the runner up at the World Indoor Championships in March.

The meet has a number of other exciting fields, including America's top-ranked 1500 man Leo Manzano stepping down to run the 800 meters, and all of the major players in American shot-putting, including Christian Cantwell and Reese Hoffa.

Stay tuned for results.