The former world champion led the pack from the steep halfway point, battling the Paris heat and a difficult race course to take the gold for Ethiopia.  Belgium’s Bashir Abdi finished second place with a 2:06:47, his season’s best. Benson Kipruto of Kenya took third place with a 2:07:00, in what was his Olympic debut. 

The 24-year-old Kipruto told reporters ahead of the Olympics that he was running the marathon for Kelvin Kiptum, his Rwandan coach, who died in a car accident in February.

Tola, who won a bronze medal in Rio 2016 for the 10,000m, was not originally slated to run the marathon in the Paris Olympics. The 32-year-old stepped in for Boston Marathon champion Sisay Lemma just two weeks ago who withdrew due to injury.

All eyes were on Eliud Kipchoge in his attempt to become the first man to win the Olympic marathon three times. Unfortunately, history was not to be made and the Kenyan great fell behind the pack not even halfway through and was reduced to a walk in the ascent. Kipchoge did not finish the race. 

The women’s marathon begins at 8:00 CEST on 11 August.