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Sifan Hassan’s endurance gamble on the Paris Video games lastly paid off after she sprinted away for Olympic marathon gold within the French capital on Sunday. The Ethiopian-born Dutch athlete got here into the marathon on the again of two bronze medals gained within the 5,000m and 10,000m in an astonishing bid for podium placings in three occasions. And Hassan didn’t disappoint, holding off Ethiopian Tigst Assefa for victory in an Olympic document of 2hr 22min 55sec. It mirrored Hassan’s efforts within the Covid-hit Tokyo Video games three years in the past when she additionally gained three medals: two golds (5,000m, 10,000m) and a bronze (1500m).
She additionally turned the primary athlete since Emil Zatopek in 1952 to take medals within the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon in a single Video games.
Assefa took silver in 2:22.58, with Kenya’s Hellen Obiri claiming bronze (2:23.10).
“It was not straightforward,” mentioned Hassan, whose treble bid equated to greater than 62 kilometres of operating throughout 10 days in Paris.
“Each second within the race I used to be regretting that I ran the 5,000m and 10,000m. I used to be telling myself if I hadn’t achieved that, I might really feel nice immediately.
“From the start to the top, it was so arduous. Each step of the best way. I used to be pondering, ‘Why did I try this? What’s unsuitable with me?’
“I’ve by no means pushed myself by way of to the end line as I did immediately.”
Hassan, who gained the 2023 London Marathon on her debut on the distance after which produced the second-best time ever in profitable the Chicago Marathon in October in 2:13.44, mentioned the Olympic gold was a crowning glory.
“I used to be so completely happy within the London Marathon, however immediately I am extra completely happy, I am unable to imagine I am Olympic marathon champion!” she mentioned.
“The marathon is one thing else. Whenever you do 42 kilometres in additional than two hours and 20 minutes, each single step you are feeling it so arduous and so painful.
“After I completed, the entire second was a launch. It’s unbelievable. I’ve by no means skilled something like that. Even the opposite marathons I’ve run weren’t near this.”
Gruelling climb, perilous descent
The 42km-long marathon course headed out of central Paris on a loop to Versailles, mimicking a key second from the French Revolution: the Girls’s March on Versailles, on October 5, 1789, which led to French King Louis XVI lastly agreeing to ratify the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
The route included a 436m climb and 438m descent. The utmost gradient on the route was 13.5 p.c.
The 31-year-old Hassan suffered on the gruelling ascent on the 1:38 mark and it appeared like which may have been it for her bid for a historic treble.
However Hassan is nothing if not a doughty competitor and he or she rapidly reeled within the lead group on the perilous descent.
Assefa and teammate Amane Beriso Shankule pushed on.
The Kenyan trio of Sharon Lokedi, defending champion Peres Jepchirchir and Obiri caught with the 2 Ethiopians as they went by way of 30km in 1:43.59.
Hassan was toe-to-toe with the east Africans and on the 33km mark, the pack was down to 5, Jepchirchir dropping off the tempo.
Shankule additionally pale with 2km to run, leaving a gang of 4 for 3 podium locations.
Like a dash stage of the Tour de France, the quartet got here into the final kilometre sizing one another up, Obiri surging, eyes flicking left and proper, all 4 able to react to the slightest acceleration.
Hassan probed because the winding finale to Invalides continued, Lokedi failing to match the tempo.
After which there have been three: Hassan, Assefa and Obiri.
Assefa launched one final assault, dropping Obiri.
It got here right down to Hassan v Assefa. The Dutch athlete surged round one nook, really clashing with the Ethiopian.
The pair regained their rhythm and Hassan delivered an ideal dash end for a memorable gold.
“On the finish I assumed, ‘That is only a 100m dash. Come on, Sifan. Yet another. Simply really feel it, like somebody who sprints 200m’.”
Hassan’s American coach Tim Rowberry added: “For her to get two medals in observe alone was unbelievable. However to complete with a gold and end on such a excessive be aware is one of the best.
“I am unable to say I am stunned as a result of that is what we have been hoping for and it’s important to be loopy to hope for one thing like this. I assumed she got here for 3 medals, not for the gold.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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