Sifan Hassan, the Ethiopian-born Dutch runner, is set to embark on an unprecedented challenge at the Paris 2024 Olympics by competing in the 5,000m, 10,000m, and marathon. This ambitious attempt follows her remarkable performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she clinched gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, and secured a bronze in the 1,500m.
Hassan’s Olympic journey in Paris begins on August 2 with the women’s 5,000m. Following this, she will compete in the 10,000m on August 9. Less than 48 hours later, Hassan will start the marathon, marking her debut in this Olympic event on August 11.
Hassan made the announcement in a recent Instagram post, saying, “
I am excited to announce I will run the 5000m, 10,000m, and the marathon here in Paris.
I am a curious person looking forward to the challenges, and trying to find out what is possible. I love the journey as much as the challenge. Did I balance speed on the track with enough endurance in the marathon? Let’s find out together. It’s not easy to face the unknown but my curiosity has driven all my training towards this goal. I will try my best to succeed.
I hope my fans will support me on this exciting journey!”
This decision to drop the 1,500m from her lineup follows her successful marathon debut, with her focus clearly being on the longer events and defending her two Olympic gold medals. In 2023, Hassan won her marathon debut at the London Marathon and then went on to set the second-fastest women’s marathon time in history at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
“Maybe it’s going to turn out beautiful,” Hassan said.
Her triple in Tokyo three years ago captivated the running world. Despite falling in the 1,500m heats, she recovered and won bronze. This time, her lineup in Paris is even more daunting, with the marathon replacing the 1,500m.
Renowned for her versatility, Hassan has been an elite performer across multiple distances. However her journey to success at these Olympics won’t be easy.
Standing between Hassan and Olympic glory will be world-class athletes like Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who set a world record at the Berlin Marathon in 2023, and Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir, the Tokyo marathon gold medalist.
Hassan’s rigorous schedule at the Paris Olympics has left us all in awe. American track legend Michael Johnson said on social media, “For anyone else this would be insane! I don’t believe there’s ever been an athlete who enjoys racing more than Sifan Hassan.”
Here’s what Hassan’s schedule will look like:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 2 | 5,000m – Round 1 |
| August 5 | 5,000m – Final |
| August 9 | 10,000m – Final |
| August 11 | Marathon |
Fellow Olympic runner Josh Kerr even said how impressive the feat is, “I don’t think I could do that on the women’s side… to do a triple like that, the training is so gruelling for the marathon,” said Kerr. “She’s so well rounded that being able to have enough speed in the rank to do track races, it’s two rounds in the five, she’ll be out there having fun. Very impressive.”
As Hassan prepares for this historic feat, her fellow athletes and fans worldwide watch with anticipation. The Dutch runner’s journey in Paris will test not only her physical endurance but also her ability to recover between events, making it one of the most compelling storylines of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Hassan remains undaunted by the challenge. “It’s good sometimes when I’m nervous…I do better,” she sai. Whether or not her endeavor proves successful, Hassan’s pursuit of the unprecedented will surely be one of the highlights of Paris 2024.
