Sifan Hassan sets Olympic record amid dramatic marathon climax
One of the final events of the Paris Olympics was the women's marathon, which took place on Sunday, August 11. The magnificent Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands crossed the finish line first, setting an Olympic record. An unexpected elbow fight occurred in the final stretch as Hassan struggled to pass her Ethiopian rival.
The two weeks of competitions during the Paris Olympics were historic. Thousands of athletes competed in over 300 events, and it was a time of great emotions, competition, happiness, and tears.
The women's marathon, one of the last events in Paris, took place in the city center and covered a distance of 26 miles. Sifan Hassan, representing the Netherlands, won the gold medal. She recorded a time of 2:22.55, a new Olympic record.
Ethiopian Tygst Assefa won the silver medal, finishing three seconds behind Hassan. Kenyan Hellen Obiri claimed third place, finishing 15 seconds slower than the gold medalist.
Just before the finish line, there was some unsportsmanlike behavior. In the final stretch, the Ethiopian led, but Hassan found a last reserve of energy and decided to overtake her rival.
Assefa attempted to hinder Hassan, but unsportsmanlike tried to push her into the barriers lined with spectators. Seizing a moment of weakness from Assefa, Hassan overtook her and triumphed in the marathon.
It is worth mentioning that Sifan Hassan also won two bronze medals in Paris. She placed third in both the 5000 and 10,000 meters races. The 31-year-old defended her titles from the Tokyo Olympics in both events, although she conceded to her rivals this time in France.
