After 26 miles around the streets of Tokyo, the men’s marathon came down to a thrilling sprint finish as Alphonce Simbu pipped Amanal Petros by the narrowest of margins to kick off the third day of competition at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 on Monday (15).
In winning by just three hundredths of a second – both athletes crossing the finish line in the Japan National Stadium in 2:09:48 but with Simbu a fraction ahead – the Tanzanian 33-year-old became his nation’s first ever global gold medallist.
He adds this world title to the world marathon bronze he claimed in London in 2017 and his runner-up finishes at the Boston Marathon earlier this year and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Germany’s Petros had led as the race left the roads and entered the stadium, and he was still to the fore as they hit the final straight, but Simbu timed his kick to perfection.
They were followed over the finish line by Italy’s Iliass Aouani, bronze medallist in 2:09:53.
Results: 1 Alphonce Simbu (TAN) 2:09:48, 2 Amanal Petros (GER) 2:09:48, 3 Iliass Aouani (ITA) 2:09:53