In 1999, Leghzaoui made a running breakthrough by improving her 3000 metres personal best by a minute and breaking the World record for the 10K road race. She was seventh in the women's short race at the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, leading the Moroccans to the bronze medal in the team competition. On the track, she ran in the 10,000 metres at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics, but failed to finish the race. In 2000, she won the Cinque Mulini cross country meet and took the 5000 m track title at the 2000 African Championships in Athletics later that year.