Reigning Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan admits she’s “still scared” of running 26.2 miles ahead of Sunday’s London Marathon, which the Dutch long-distance runner dramatically won on her competitive debut over the distance two years ago.
A gold medal winner on the track in the 5000 and 10,000 metres at the Tokyo Olympics, Hassan made her marathon debut in 2023 and caused a stir by topping the London podium at the end of an eventful race.
Hassan cried before the start, stopped twice to stretch a sore left hip and almost collided with a motorbike before out-sprinting Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir and Alemu Megertu of Ethiopia to claim her maiden marathon title.
Sunday’s elite women’s race will see the 32-year-old renew her rivalry with Ethiopia’s former world record holder and two-time Berlin marathon winner Tigist Assefa, who Hassan edged out by three seconds in a thrilling finish to the Olympic final in Paris.
Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya – who topped the podium at the 2021 London Marathon – will also be looking to give Hassan a run for her money.
An estimated 56,000 runners are due to take part in Sunday’s mass race, which is expected to become the world’s largest marathon in terms of participants and the number of finishers.
JP2021.COM