Olympic champion reflects on record-breaking marathon win

A demanding running course, frustration in the middle of a grueling competition, and overwhelming excitement for breaking the Olympic record to win gold, were some of the highlights for Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola after he stormed to men’s marathon gold at the Paris Games on Aug 10.

Tola, the 33-year-old who was called into the Ethiopian team as a late replacement, built a strong lead early on in the race and crossed the finish line in two hours, six minutes and 26 seconds, becoming the first Ethiopian winner of the event in 24 years and setting a new Olympic record at the same time.

Tola told China Global Television Network (CGTN) that his Olympic win is a lifetime achievement.

“I’m super excited and thank God that I was part of the Olympics in general and for breaking the Olympic marathon record, too. The Olympics is the one competition that is loved by people in the athletics world and is always a tournament that everyone looks forward to be part of. So, for me being part of this glorious event and being able to break the record is a lifetime achievement,” he said in the interview in Paris on Aug 11.

Recalling the run, Tola said the hilly route made him frustrated at some point and how he strategized during the race while running alongside formidable rivals including Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist Kenenisa Bekele and Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.

“To be absolutely honest with you, the Paris marathon course was tough, but I had expected it would be. However, I had strategies before the run, and so left the crowd early. I did this because I was facing athletics superstars such as Kenenisa Bekele and Kipchoge, who were champions in this run before. So, I assumed facing them direct was not a good idea and so, I had to think of ways of making sure I could at least get on the podium. But later I have realized they did not perform as expected. Of course, as you may have seen, I was fast until the end. My plan of detaching myself from the big crowd finally paid off. Even before, the same style of running had helped me win multiple races, and so it was my decision to follow that plan in this race, too. But I must also tell you that I was frustrated once or twice in the race due to Paris’s tough hills. I lasted, though. I told myself this must be when I shine and deliver for my country. And now here we are. I’m overwhelmed and happy to realize I’m the Olympic champion and the record holder, too,” he said.

Tola last won gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, the United States. He won the New York City Marathon in a course record of two hours, four minutes and 58 seconds last year and finished third at both the London Marathon 2023 and the Tokyo Marathon 2021.