Sifan Hassan scripts history at Paris Olympics: Decoding her campaign
Netherlands runner Sifan Hassan made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by clinching the women's marathon gold in 2:22:55 hours. This is now an Olympic record. This victory added to her bronze medals from the women's 5,000m and 10,000m events. With this, Hassan became the first woman to win medals in these three distance events in a single edition of the Games.
Hassan triumphed over challenging course
Hassan's historic marathon win came on a notoriously difficult Paris marathon course, known for its steep inclines and rapid downhill sections. Despite these challenges, she emerged as the fastest in the 42.195km race, outpacing Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa in a sprint finish. Assefa secured silver with a time of 2:22:58, while Kenya's Hellen Obiri took home bronze in 2:23:10.
Olympic record for Hassan
As mentioned, Hassan scripted a new Olympic record in women's marathon, having clocked 2:22:55. She went past Ethiopian Tiki Gelana, who recorded 2:23:07 in the 2012 London Games. Meanwhile, Hassan (14:30.61 ) recorded bronze in the 5,000m race. She finished third to Kenyans Beatrice Chebet (14:28.56) and Faith Kipyegon (14:29.60) in the final. As mentioned, the athelete also claimed bronze in the 10,000m competition.
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Hassan registered her season best timing (30:44.12) in the 10,000m event. Overall, she only finished second to Beatrice Chebet (30:43.25) and Italy's (30:44.12). Notably, a total of six athletes finished this race inside 30:46 minutes. Hence, it was a close affair.
Hassan joined Emil Zátopek
No other athlete (male or female) has even participated in all three distances in a single Olympics in the last 40 years. Meanwhile, Czech runner Emil Zátopek is the only other athlete besides Hassan to have recorded medals in all three events (men's) when he swept all three golds in Helsinki in 1952. Hence, Hassan became the first woman to accomplish this triple.
Hassan's journey
Hassan's latest victory brings her total Olympic medal count to six, with three won at Paris 2024 and three at Tokyo 2020. In Tokyo, she secured gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events and bronze in the 1,500m race. When asked about her decision to compete in three distances, Hassan stated that "life is not about gold. I'm lucky to be at the Olympics."
Hassan's journey to glory
Born in Ethiopia, Hassan moved to the Netherlands as a child without her family. Her passion for athletics took her to great heights. After a disappointing performance at Rio 2016, she won two golds at the 2019 world championships and began competing in marathons recently. Despite limited training, she triumphed in the 2023 London Marathon and later won the Chicago Marathon that same year.
