Tamirat Tola from Ethiopia emerged victorious in the marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, setting a new Olympic record by finishing the race in 2:06:26, breaking Samuel Wanjiru’s 2008 record of 2:06:32 from Kenya.

The Ethiopian runner claimed the gold medal in the marathon, marking a significant achievement. Tola took the lead after the 25th kilometer, leaving the leading pack behind and maintaining his pace until the finish line.

The silver medal went to Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, who completed the race in 2:06:47, while Kenya’s Benson Kipruto took bronze with a time of 2:07:00.

Among the competitors was Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya, a two-time Olympic champion in Rio and Tokyo, who withdrew after the 30th kilometer. Kenenisa Bekele, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, finished 39th at the age of 42 with a time of 2:12:24.

“It’s the best day of my life”

Tola expressed his happiness, stating, “It’s the best day of my life.” He had previously won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at Rio, the World Championship marathon in 2022, and the New York Marathon in 2023.

“I am very happy because this was always my goal,” he said, explaining that he was fully prepared and knew he could achieve his dream. “I am very happy to have done this today,” he added.

The marathoners followed a historic route, reminiscent of the Women’s March on Versailles on October 5-6, 1789, one of the most significant events of the French Revolution.

The marathon course connected the Hôtel de Ville in Paris to Versailles, passing through nine districts of the Île-de-France region, featuring some of Paris’s most iconic monuments, parks, and forests, as well as the magnificent Palace of Versailles.

The route was particularly challenging, with an ascent of 436 meters and a descent of 438 meters. The steepest incline reached 13.5% after the 28th kilometer, where Tola took the lead, creating an 11-second gap that he never relinquished.