Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola Breaks Kenyan Dominance in Men’s Marathon at Paris Olympics

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola made history by clinching gold in the men’s marathon. Tola’s victory marked the end of Kenya’s long-standing dominance in the event.

Tola crossed the finish line with a remarkable time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 26 seconds, setting a new Olympic record. Belgium’s Bashir Abdi followed closely behind, finishing just 21 seconds after Tola, while Kenya’s Benson Kipruto secured the bronze medal, crossing the line 34 seconds behind the winner.

As Tola approached the finish, he had the luxury of looking back and basking in the applause from the crowd. Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Eliud Kipchoge struggled and finished over eight minutes behind Tola.

The last non-Kenyan to win the men’s marathon was Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich at the 2012 London Olympics, making Tola’s victory even more significant.

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