Tola, 32, entered the history books of Olympic and world athletics with a sublime race. He did it in Paris, in a tough marathon due to its altitude profile, with slopes of up to 13 percent, but with a very attractive route passing through all the most touristic places in the French capital.
The Ethiopian, winner of the New York marathon in 2023, broke away after the 25-kilometre mark and, from then on, went solo, opening up a gap with the chasing group, even holding out at the critical moment of the course, before the 30-kilometre mark, with a slope that many of the participants had already feared.
Tola stopped the clock at 2:06:26 and was followed on the podium by Belgian of Somali origin Bashir Abdi, with 2:06:47, and Kenyan Benson Kipruto, third with 2:07:00.
These 2:06:26 allowed Tamirat Tola to break the Olympic record, which was held by Kenyan Samuel Kamau Wanjiru on August 24, 2008 in Beijing with 2:06:32.
However, Tola’s victory was overshadowed, in part, by the media focus on the duel between Kipchoge and Bekele that ultimately did not take place.
In fact, Kipchoge was the star of one of the iconic images of the Olympic Games, and one that will probably go down in history, when at kilometer 28 he stopped, started talking to a policeman and continued his journey on foot along the security lane before the astonished gaze of the fans, who saw him walk to kilometer 31.
By that time, 42-year-old Bekele had long since passed that milestone. The Ethiopian was heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics after his comeback in the last London marathon on April 21, when he finished second and stopped the clock at 2:04:15.
That time, similar to the 2:04:19 recorded in Valencia on December 3, 2023, finishing fourth in the Spanish city, allowed him to relive the Olympic dream twelve years after doing so for the last time. On that last occasion, in London 2012, he was fourth in the 10,000 meters on the track.
He did not do well in Paris. He soon found himself without the strength to stay in the leading group and, by the half marathon, it was clear that he was not going to be a contender for victory. He suffered more than expected on a course that was not suited to his characteristics and finished in thirty-ninth position, 5:58 behind the winner with a time of 2:12:24.
