Tanzanian Felix Simbu won the gold in Tokyo by a photo finish—an historic achievement.
Alphonce Felix Simbu made a new page in Tanzanian athletics history on Monday, September 15, by becoming the country’s first athlete to claim a world title. He won the gold medal in the men’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, being held from September 13 to 21.
The Tanzanian runner prevailed in a thrilling finish, edging out German Amanal Petros by just 0.03 seconds in a decisive sprint across the finish line. Both athletes recorded the same time, 2:09:48.
“I didn’t know if I had won. When I saw the screens and my name at the top of the results, I felt a great relief,” Simbu said, quoted by the African press agency.
Competing in the World Championships after following a rigorous training regimen in Tanzania, Simbu talked about the effort behind this success:
“It's about discipline, training, and never giving up. After 2017, I tried to win another medal, but without success. Last year in Paris, it was a challenge. This year, I pushed myself hard, training under different conditions.”
