Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands secured a historic gold medal in the women’s marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday, cementing her place in Olympic history. This victory marks a remarkable feat, making her only the second athlete in history to win medals in the 5,000m, 10,000m, and marathon at a single Summer Games. The only other athlete to achieve this incredible accomplishment was Emil Zatopek, who achieved the same in Helsinki in 1952.
Hassan, who had already won bronze medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m at these Games, crossed the finish line with a new Olympic record time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 55 seconds.
Zatopek, considered one of the greatest distance runners of all time, had achieved the unprecedented feat of winning gold in all three events at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Hassan’s achievement now places her alongside this legendary figure in the annals of Olympic history.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa earned the silver medal, finishing with a time of 2:22:58, while Kenya’s Hellen Obiri took the bronze medal, clocking in at 2:23:10. Hassan’s gold medal win adds another chapter to her already impressive Olympic journey, solidifying her status as one of the most versatile and accomplished distance runners in the world.
