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VEN
Tamirat Tola has explained how seeing Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele on the starting line of the men’s marathon at the Olympic Games was a great inspiration for him to go for the win.
Tola noted that both Kipchoge and Bekele have won a series of Olympic medals and they know how it feels and what it takes to be on the podium. In an interview with , Tola explained having the two bigwigs in the race made him work harder.
The former world champion was aware of the potential they had and knew that one wrong move would cost him a place on the podium.
Olympic marathon gold medallist Tamirat Tola honored by Ethiopia after record-breaking victory at Paris Olympics
Kipchoge is a two-time Olympic marathon champion who also won a bronze and silver in the men’s 5000m at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games respectively.
On his part, Bekele has three track gold medals from the Olympics and a silver. He won the 10,000m gold at the 2004 Olympic Games and claimed silver in the 5000m. Bekele won double gold, 5000m and 10,000m in the 2008 Olympic Games.
“The course was difficult but when I went to the starting line, being with Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele who have won different Olympic races and running with them made me happy. This is because they knew how to tighten the race,” Tola shared.
“They have inspired me and during the race, I wanted to go with them. After 5km, they did not take charge and at the 10km mark, I decided to take charge and when we were at the 15km mark, I increased my speed. I knew that if I could follow their pace until the finish line, they would win the race, so I decided to go,” he added.
The Ethiopian crossed the finish line first in an Olympic record time of 2:06:26 ahead of Belgium’s Bashir Abdi and Kenyan Benson Kipruto who came in second and third in respective times of 2:06:47 and 2:07:00.
By winning the gold medal, he ended Ethiopia’s 20-year drought. The previous Ethiopian to win the gold medal in the men’s marathon was Gezahegne Abera at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
The five-time Berlin Marathon champion has explained what was going on in his mind as he withdrew from the men's Olympic marathon and why he could not finish the race.
“When I crossed the line, I was feeling very happy and I cried because I really wanted to fulfil this dream in my life. For a long time, Ethiopian athletes missed the Olympic gold medals in the marathon. This year, I wanted to see what I could do and I’m so happy because I’ve motivated the younger generation,” Tola expressed his emotions.
