The Dutch distance star will run the 5K, 10K, and marathon in Paris—an incredible 62 kilometres of racing over nine days.
BY TAYLOR DUTCH PUBLISHED: JUL 31, 2024
After much anticipation, Sifan Hassan has decided she will run the 5,000, 10,000, and marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The two-time Olympic champion announced her plans in a virtual press conference on Wednesday.
Hassan considered running the 1500 meters as well, but ultimately decided the schedule of having four races, including the marathon, on four consecutive days would be too much. “I decided to run three events, the 5,000, 10,000, and marathon, because I’m really curious how it’s going to be possible after just one day of rest [before] the marathon,” she said. “We will see what’s going to happen.”
Starting this week, the two-time world champion will take on 62 kilometres over the course of nine days. The first two rounds of the 5,000 meters will be contested on August 2 and August 5. The 10,000-meter final is scheduled for August 9. She’ll have about 35 hours to recover before racing the marathon on August 11.
Hassan’s decision follows weeks of speculation after the Dutch team published a graphic on Instagram with the athletes that were selected to represent the Netherlands at the Olympics. The post also included each athlete’s respective events. The events listed under Hassan’s name were the 1500, 5,000, 10,000, and marathon—a daring schedule no other athlete has ever attempted at the Olympics.
Following the announcement, several outlets reported the 31-year-old was taking on an unprecedented quadruple. When Runner’s World reached out to her coach, Tim Rowberry, for confirmation, he said Hassan hadn’t finalized her plans just yet. At the time, they were still determining her schedule in Paris.
“[Sifan] is eligible for four events, and we have been working towards all of them, but due to the proximity of 10K, 1500, and marathon, we are still evaluating if she can safely compete in different combinations,” Rowberry wrote via email. “Her current shape is uncertain until she gets into a race, so she will likely race one more time at the Sunset Tour in LA to help evaluate how she feels now that she is tapering training.”
But Hassan withdrew from the track competition on July 20 in Los Angeles, where she was slated to contest the 1500 and 5,000 meters. Rowberry said he changed his mind because he didn’t want Hassan to tire herself out from travel by flying to California immediately after racing the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo, Netherlands.
Instead, Hassan stayed home in Park City, Utah, where she focused on preparing for the Olympic triple. “I had a very hard, challenging three, four months working so much harder than ever,” she said.
Hassan is no stranger to a grueling competition schedule. In 2021, the Dutch runner of Ethiopian origin became the first athlete in history to medal in the 1500, 5,000, and 10,000 meters at a single Olympic Games. She won gold in the 5,000 and bronze in the 1500 before winning the 10,000 meters in Tokyo.
At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hassan chased gold in all three events again. This time, she claimed bronze in the 1500, silver in the 5,000, and 11th place in the 10,000 after falling to the ground while leading just before the finish line.
In the last few years, Hassan has also made a stellar transition to the marathon. In her debut, she won the 2023 London Marathon in an epic comeback to the front. Six months later, she unleashed 2:13:44, the second-fastest time in history to win the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
Paris will be the first time she competes in the marathon at a global championship. In approaching the demands of multiple events, Hassan said she focuses on gratitude to help her feel more relaxed. “When I have a challenge, I look at what could be worse, you know. I always look at what I have,” she said.
In Paris, Hassan will face stacked fields in every discipline, including world record-holders Faith Kipyegon and Gudaf Tsegay in the 5,000 meters.
Emil Zápotek is the only athlete who has managed to win gold in the 5,000, 10,000, and marathon at a single Olympic Games. The Czech athlete dominated all three events, including his debut over 42.2, at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. In fact, Runner’s World named him the greatest runner of all time in 2013.
Hassan said she was inspired by Zápotek when she made her decision.
“I’m curious what’s going to happen,” Hassan said. “My big focus is just how I’m going to complete [the events], how I’m going to recover, especially for the marathon.”
Here is the timeline of Hassan’s schedule in Paris.
- August 2: Round 1 of the 5,000
- August 5: Final of the 5,000
- August 9: Final of the 10,000
- August 11: Marathon
