Tola wins gold in men’s marathon, Kipchoge fails to finish

PARIS: Ethiopian long-distance runner Tamirat Tola delivered a historic performance at the Paris Games on Saturday, winning gold in the men’s marathon with an Olympic record time of 2:06:26. Tola’s victory was particularly impressive given the challenging nature of the course, which World Athletics described as the toughest in Olympic history.

Tola established a strong lead early in the race and maintained his pace despite the grueling hills. His endurance and strategy paid off as he crossed the finish line ahead of his competitors, securing his place in Olympic history. “My intention was just to keep up with the people who were going out and then after some point I decided to try to push on my own,” Tola explained. Despite facing difficulties on the uphill sections, he gained confidence in the final kilometers and surged to victory.

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, the two-time defending Olympic champion, was aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive gold but was unable to finish the race. In his absence, Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, who had won bronze in Tokyo, improved his standing by taking silver, while Kenya’s Benson Kipruto claimed the bronze.