In a historic and grueling Olympic marathon from Versailles to Paris, Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola delivered a stunning performance, capturing the gold medal and setting a new Olympic record. The race, known for its demanding course, saw many of the world’s best runners struggle, including past champions.
Among those unable to keep pace were marathon legends Eliud Kipchoge, the Rio and Tokyo gold medalist, who withdrew after 30 km, and Kenenisa Bekele, who finished far back in 39th place.
Tola, however, defied the odds with an extraordinary run. He surged ahead at the 18-mile mark, ultimately crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 26 seconds, breaking the previous Olympic record. Tamirat Tola finished 21 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, who claimed silver, while Kenya’s Benson Kipruto secured the bronze.
