Olympic gold medalist Sifan Hassan makes her feelings known about difference in experiences between Tokyo and Paris Games

Sifan Hassan is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and holder of two gold medals in World Marathon Majors. The iconic long-distance runner from the Netherlands recently elaborated on the difference in the experiences between her Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

Hassan, the six-time Olympic medallist, is originally from Ethiopia and is an acclaimed marathoner. She represents the Dutch country after attaining her citizenship in 2013. During the CITIUS MAG podcast, Hassan talked about the changes she felt while competing in the last two Olympics.

“Paris was very intense because like we ran 2023 and then I think I ran Chicago and after Chicago, I take couple months off. I ran Tokyo and after that I had like four month or five month. I really have to train hard. It's also totally different stress as Paris is a little bit very intense but also like it's marathon it's just you know it's totally different.” [4:01 onwards]

She continued:

“The gold medal in marathon in Paris it look like, it feel like ten Olympic gold medals, it's totally different. It's just totally, the feeling when you cross the line, there's a closing ceremony, it's everything just something beyond, because it's like marathon is like, you know it is physical endurance. It's just testing human being how hard you can push, how far you can go.” [6:17 onwards]

Hassan, who has a long-list of accolades under her belt, also holds three Dutch records and six European records in multiple long-distance running events. In the 2019 World Championships, she won two golds in 1500m and 10,000m.

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Sifan Hassan reminisces about her inspiring journey to victory in the 2023 marathon

Sifan Hassan at The Olympic Games-Paris 2024 - Source: Getty

Sifan Hassan won the marathon gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics besides two bronze medals in the 5000m and 10,000m races. However, Hassan had doubts when she competed for her first marathon in London. Sharing her experiences via the TCS London Marathon, she said:

“At this moment kind of thinking myself, I have never had any marathon experience... I can't just do my first marathon... I'm so scared and I even like kind of want to throw up or something.”

She continued:

“When I finish the race and here I'm winning. With the greatest field with these amazing females. This whole can come to my mind and that is Olympic champion, that's a world record holder, so many here, it's so amazing.” [2:32 onwards]

Sifan Hassan participated in six World Championships and secured two gold medals, one silver and three bronze medals. She clinched first spot in three Diamond Leagues and two gold medals in the European Championships.

In 2021, Hassan was honoured with European Athlete of the Year Award. She has also been awarded Dutch Athlete of the Year and Dutch Sportswoman of the Year three times each. Last year in December, Hassan was named the World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year.