Ethiopian Tola wins Olympics marathon as Kipruto settles for Bronze

By Peter Ochieng

Tamirat Tola is the 2024 Paris Olympic Games men marathon champion.

He clocked an impressive 2:06:26 on the brutal Paris2024 course, to become the first Ethiopian to win gold at the Olympic Games in 24 years.

In the process, Tola broke the Olympic marathon record of 2:06:32 set by the late Samuel Wanjiru during the Beijing, China Olympics in 2008.

The Paris course has been touted as one of the most brutal marathon courses ever in the history of the Olympics.

Belgium’s Bashir Abdi finished second in a time of 2:06:47, while Benson Kipruto clocked 2:07:00 to win Bronze for Team Kenya.

“I came, I gave my best,” said Kipruto.

Ahead of the marathon, legendary Kenyan marathoner Eliud Kipchoge, the defending champion, was seeking to become the only man to win three Olympic marathon titles on the trot, after emerging victorious in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 2016, and Tokyo, Japan in 2020.

However, signs that Kipchoge would not manage the feat started showing halfway through the marathon, after the legend fell off the leading pack.

The 39-year-old was at some point seen holding his heap, perhaps indicating that the going was getting tough with each passing second. He did not finish the race, dropping out after 31km.

Alexander Mutiso, another member of Team Kenya settled for position 21 on his debut.

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Sports and Youth Affairs Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen, congratulated the marathon team.

“Congratulations, Benson Kipruto, on bringing home the Olympic bronze medal in one of the toughest marathon courses in the Games' history. Great team effort from Alexander Mutiso and the Greatest of All Time, Eliud Kipchoge.” 

“It was a brutal race, but you guys gave it everything you had, blood and sweat. The nation is proud of you. Keep the Kenyan flag flying. We shall be back!”

Team Kenya will surely be back during the women marathon on Sunday.