Sifan Hassan traded elbows with Tigst Assefa with 150 metres left in the women’s marathon, then passed her along the railing to win the race for her third distance medal of the Paris Games on Sunday.
Hassan, an Ethiopian-born racer who runs for the Netherlands, finished in an Olympic record time of two hours 22 minutes 55 seconds. Ethiopia’s Assefa, three seconds behind her, took silver and Kenya’s Hellen Obiri (2:23:10) earned bronze.
Hassan raised her hands and yelled as he crossed the line, then wrapped the Dutch flag around her head as she celebrated. Wearing an orange bucket hat, she wrapped an arm around Nepal’s Shantoshi Shrestha, whose smile was as bright as the sun pouring down on them.
Then, taking in the enormity of her win, Hassan plunged her head in her hands and appeared to weep with joy.
The 31-year-old also won bronze on the track in the 5,000 and 10,000. By simply completing the marathon, she ran more than 62 kilometers. She now has six Olympic medals. In Tokyo, Hassan won the 5,000 and 10,000 and finished third in the 1,500.
Breaking from tradition, the women’s Olympic marathon was held on the final day instead of the men’s race.
Hassan used the same tactic on the hilly 42.2 km.course she does on the oval. She lingered behind the leaders for the bulk of the race before summoning up the energy for a late-race kick that will go down as one of the best the sport has seen.
Hassan used the same tactic in the hilly, 26.2-mile course as she does on the oval. She lingered behind the leaders for the bulk of the race before summoning up the energy for a late-race kick that will go down as one of the best the sport has seen.
WATCH | Hassan reaches top of podium with 3rd medal at Paris Olympics:
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands captures gold in the women’s marathon at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with an Olympic record time of 2:22.55. Hassan also claimed bronze in the women’s 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre events earlier in the week.
This one, amazingly, had more the look of a crowded race on the oval down the stretch. As Hassan gathered to make her last pass, Assefa tried to block her path. Hassan moved to the inside around a bend.
Elmore 9th in 2021 Olympic marathon debut
Assefa tried to squeeze her against the barrier separating the course from the cheering fans. The runners traded elbows, then Hassan took off past Assefa and sprinted in for the win.
Malindi Elmore of Kelowna, B.C., was 35th, clocking 2:31:08 in her second Olympic marathon. Three years ago, the 44-year-old placed ninth in Sapporo, Japan.
Hassan raced the 5,000 last Monday and 10,000 on Friday, giving her roughly 35 hours to recover for the marathon.
She entered the Games looking to match Emil Zatopek’s performance from 1952, when the Czech runner swept the 5,000, 10,000 and the marathon at the Helsinki Games.
She didn’t manage to accomplish the feat, but she leaves with a gleaming gold medal.
Peres Jepchirchir, the 2021 Olympic champion from Kenya, was 15th in Sunday’s race.
Women have competed in the discipline since the 1984 Los Angeles Games, which was 88 years after Greek runner Spiridon Louis won the inaugural men’s race.
Starting out from Hotel de Ville (City Hall), Sunday’s marathon route passed through the parks and forests dotted along the way. Despite its scenic aspect, the somewhat hilly route was billed as extremely difficult with inclines as steep as 13 per cent.
Under blue skies, runners took in landmarks such as Opera Garnier and the Louvre museum. About halfway through, they passed near the regal grounds of the Palace of Versailles — once the home of French royalty — before doubling back through Meudon forest toward Paris and past the Eiffel Tower.
WATCH | Tamirat Tola tops men’s marathon field and sets Olympic mark:
Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia claims the gold medal in the men’s marathon with an Olympic record time of 2:06:26.
Source Agencies
