Olympics 2024: Tamirat Tola wins gold in brutal men's marathon - ESPN

PARIS — Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola delivered a gritty run to claim gold with an Olympic-record time in a difficult men's marathon Saturday, with two-time reigning champion Eliud Kipchoge bowing out of the race due to a back injury.

In a talent-packed field, Kipchoge was expected to battle to defend his title. Ethiopian marathon legend Haile Gebrselassie opened the race, but rather than welcoming Kipchoge at the line, he was there instead to congratulate his countryman Tola, whom he inspired to take up the sport as a 19-year-old.

«I am happy today because I fulfilled my goal,» Tola said. «I prepared well. I trained hard so I could win. In my life, this is my great achievement.»

Tola, 32, finished the race in 2:06:26, breaking the previous Olympic record set at Beijing 2008, made even more remarkable by the fact he entered as a substitute two weeks ago after an injury to teammate Sisay Lemma.

«Sisay told me that it was better for him to drop out and for me to compete. He said, 'You can do better than me in my condition.' It is thanks to him, this victory also belongs to him for giving me this opportunity,» Tola said.

Belgium's Bashir Abdi took silver, and Kenya's Benson Kipruto took bronze.

Tola's dominant display saw him pull clear before the halfway mark and never let up.

His only previous Olympic medal was a bronze in the men's 10,000 metres at Rio 2016. It is also his second major marathon victory after winning last year's New York City Marathon.

The marathon course began outside Paris' city hall, Hotel de Ville, and passed along sights such as Palais Garnier opera house, Place Vendome, the Louvre museum, the Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles. It ended with a scenic home straight in the shadow of