- Sifan Hassan has medalled in the marathon, 10,000m and 5,000m in Paris
- Hassan has won gold and two bronzes at the 2024 Paris Olympics
- She adds these medals to her two golds and a bronze she won at Tokyo in 2020
Sifan Hassan made Olympic history on Sunday as she backed up her medals in the 5,000 metres and 10,000m by winning the marathon.
The Dutch star is the first woman to collect medals in the three longest races at the same Games – and only the second athlete ever after Emil Zatopek in 1952.
Hassan won the marathon in a sprint finish, deploying her famous late kick to overtake world record holder Tigst Assefa in the final 200m, even knocking elbows with the Ethiopian as she passed her on the inside.
The 31-year-old’s winning time was an Olympic record 2hr 22min 55sec and it came just two days after her bronze on the track in the 10,000m and six days after her 5,000m bronze.
Dutch runner Sifan Hassan made Olympic endurance running history with her marathon win
She’s the first woman to medal in the Games’ three longest-distance races in a single Olympics
She added Olympic gold to the 5,000m and 10,000m bronzes she won earlier in the week
BBC commentator Steve Cram, the former British Olympic 1500m silver medallist, described Hassan’s efforts as ‘the most incredible week of endurance running we have ever seen’.
‘I have no words,’ said Hassan, who also won the 2023 London Marathon. ‘Every moment in the race I was regretting that I ran the 5,000m and 10,000m. I was telling myself if I hadn’t done that, I would feel great today.
‘But the moment I started to feel good was at 20km, I felt so good. Then I knew I wanted gold.
‘I was so happy in the London Marathon, but today I’m more happy. I can’t believe I’m Olympic marathon champion!’
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