Tamirat Tola breaks Olympic Marathon record with historic run in Paris

Tamirat Tola broke the Olympic marathon record with a time of 2:06:26, winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

This victory marks Ethiopia’s first gold medal of the Games and reaffirms the nation’s storied legacy in long-distance running.

No one could keep pace with the 2022 world champion and Rio 2016 10,000m bronze medallist, who crossed the line in an Olympic record time.

Incredibly, Tola only entered the marathon two weeks ago due to an injury to his teammate Sisay Lemma. Despite this last-minute change, Tola outpaced a competitive field, including top marathoners from Kenya and Belgium.

Silver went to Bashir Abdi of Belgium, who finished with a time of 2:06:47.

Abdi, who previously secured third place at both Tokyo 2020 and the 2022 World Championships, added another Olympic medal to his collection.

The bronze was claimed by Kenya’s Benson Kipruto, who clocked in at 2:07:00 in his Olympic debut.

Born on August 11, 1991, in Sebeta, Oromia, Tamirat Tola has been a force in long-distance running for over a decade.

He first gained international recognition with a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In 2022, Tola cemented his status as one of the world’s premier marathoners by winning the gold medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Tola’s victory in Paris not only adds to his personal accolades but also enhances Ethiopia’s reputation as a powerhouse in distance running.