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Sifan Hassan She remembers clearly that three years ago, she attended Olympic Games She took part in the closing ceremony after winning three medals in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m events. The Dutch athlete had a tough task but she soon found herself eyeing the men’s marathon title. Eliud Kipchoge.
The Kenyan star reminisced with Hassan’s compatriot Abdi Nagiye, who had just won a silver medal, and Hassan found herself in awe of the pair. She was even a little “jealous” and, despite being a good athlete herself, she wondered, “How do these people run marathons? It’s crazy to push human endurance to that level.”
Fast forward to 2024, and Kipchoge’s mantra “no one is limited” has clearly had an impact on Hassan, as she A historic achievement for ParisShe confessed that she 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon: three daunting, “impossible” racesThat meant running 50 laps, with just 35 hours of recovery time after finishing the 10,000m final, before finishing the 26.2-mile race. This wasn’t just any traditional marathon, either—it was the toughest Olympic marathon course in history, with several daunting hills and more total elevation gain than the Boston and New York marathons.
“I’m really sad,” Hassan said The Independent After a few hours of sprinting Tigest AssefaThe world record holder won the 400m sprint Beat Ethiopian runner with Olympic record of 2 hours 22 minutes 55 secondsThere were even gasps from the idyllic gardens surrounding the golden dome of the Invalides at the finish line, as Hassan squeezed through the barrier between Assefa and her opponent and raced shoulder to shoulder with her. Tom Pidcock would be proud of this movepresents a rare and riveting finale that spans the longest distance.
“I was very disappointed with my performance in the 10,000m, I was happy to get a (bronze medal), but my background is speed-based and my coach told me to push for the last 400m, I was more energetic and more ready, but I held back in the marathon,” Hassan explained.
“I was really just focused on the marathon, and I won all the other races. At 10pm on Saturday night, I was going to go back to bed, but I couldn’t sleep, and the time kept changing after I came back from the stadium. I slept from 2am to 5am.
“I regretted running the 5,000m and 10,000m races. Everyone else was full of energy, but I told myself, I don’t feel fresh, I don’t feel good, why not run a marathon? From the beginning to the end, I felt uncomfortable. But it wasn’t about who ran faster, it was about who won the gold medal. I didn’t want to let myself down. I wanted to give it my all. That’s what I did. It felt like a dream.”
It seems like one of the most extraordinary athletic achievements in the history of sport. The 31-year-old is the first woman to win gold medals in the 1,500m, 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon at multiple Olympics. So how did Hassan do it? She once joked that she “had a brain problem” while preparing for the Olympics. Paris 2024 She explained that her mental toughness and ability to control her heart rate enabled her to win the gold medal and two bronze medals in the 38.65-mile race in just 10 days.
“I don’t think I’m that much different, but I’m curious,” Hassan added. “I recover really fast too, and whenever I do a training session, my heart rate drops like crazy. When I was younger, during track training, I almost fell to the ground. But a minute later, I was jumping up again and ready for the next training session.
“I’m recovering well, which is good, but the rest is a challenge, and I like extra challenges. I like trying new things. I’m not afraid… I mean, I yes I’m scared, but I like to try. Does it work or doesn’t work? That’s what makes me better than other people, because I try.”
A shocking fifth place finish in the 1500m at Hengelo was a wake-up call four weeks before the Paris Olympics. Hassan worked hard to get her heart rate up, admitting she was ready to “wave goodbye” to the Olympics, only to “sleep like a baby” for 10 days and regain her confidence.
“I really wanted to cry before the race, the pressure was so great,” she admitted after winning bronze in the 5000m. But the nerves are part of Hassan’s mindset and propel her to greatness.
“Yes, I’m still afraid of marathons. I’ve only run four and every time is different,” she explains. “You’re going to be uncomfortable for two hours or more and your brain wants to protect you.
“I still get nervous, but I’m not done yet, and I think I’m going to keep running marathons until I die. I’m not going to stop. It’s fun.”
So, having left her indelible mark at the Olympics, her next daring challenge is about to come, and she may well break Assefa’s world record of 2:11:53. London Marathon Seems to be a priority for next year, as he finds himself drawing similarities to this race after his iconic win in 2023, thus missing out on this year’s event.
“I hope to be able to participate next year,” Hassan concluded. “Before London, I never dreamed that I would be able to compete in the Olympic marathon, let alone win a gold medal.”
“I love London. It’s like home to me. It has history and it’s where I dream of running a marathon. I can’t stop running the London Marathon.”
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