Sports
Sifan Hassan Wins Olympic Marathon Gold
On Sunday, August 11, Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands wowed everyone by winning the women’s marathon at the Olympics in Paris. She finished with an incredible time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 55 seconds, setting a new Olympic record.
After crossing the finish line, Hassan couldn’t believe what she had just accomplished. She said, ‘I feel like I am dreaming. Winning the marathon is such a huge achievement. Every single step was hard and painful, but when I finished, it was just a release of joy.’
Hassan surprised many people when she decided to compete in the marathon along with the 5000m and 10,000m events at the same Games. With her gold in the marathon and two bronze medals from the shorter distances, she made history by being the first woman to medal in all three events at a single Olympics.
The course in Paris was tough, with steep inclines and fast downhill sections. But Hassan managed to maintain her determination throughout the race, battling with Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia. In the final moments, she pulled ahead to secure victory.
Assefa finished just three seconds behind Hassan, with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 58 seconds, capturing the silver medal. Hellen Obiri from Kenya took home the bronze, finishing in 2 hours, 23 minutes, and 10 seconds.
Now, Hassan has six Olympic medals in total. She previously won gold in the 5000m and 10,000m races at the Tokyo Olympics, showing her incredible talent and versatility as a distance runner. It’s notable how she overcame challenges, especially since she faced disappointment in her earlier competitions.
The path to the marathon was new for Hassan, who had limited training leading up to her debut at the 2023 London Marathon. She shocked everyone once again by winning that race, and now her achievement in Paris might be her greatest victory yet.
After the race, Hassan reflected on her grueling experience, saying that she often thought about whether taking on the marathon after the other events was a good idea. ‘Every moment was hard, but at the 20km mark, I felt great. I knew I wanted that gold medal, and I was ready to fight for it,’ she said.
