Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania made history by winning the men’s marathon in the first-ever photo finish at a major championship, edging out Germany’s Amanal Petros by a mere three-hundredths of a second. In a dramatic finale, Simbu surged past a diving Petros at the line in a finish closer than the men’s 100-meter final a day earlier. Both runners were credited with an identical time of 2:09:48, while Italy’s Iliass Aouani secured the bronze medal.
The 33-year-old Simbu was initially unsure he had won upon entering Tokyo’s National Stadium. It was only after seeing his name atop the results on the video screen that the victory sunk in. “I made history today – the first Tanzanian gold medal at a world championships,” said an elated Simbu, who added a world title to his bronze from the 2017 London championships and a second-place finish in this year’s Boston Marathon.
The race was marked by several surprises from the start. Kenya’s Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich false started, forcing a restart. Later, two pre-race favorites, Ethiopians Tadese Takele and Deresa Geleta, dropped out before the final 10 kilometers. This opened the field for a large leading pack, which gradually thinned out in the morning heat until only Simbu, Petros, and Aouani remained in contention entering the stadium.
For Petros, the Eritrean-born German who led into the final stretch, the loss was a heartbreaking moment he likened to a sprint finish. “Coming into the finish I was thinking about winning so a bit of me is feeling very sad,” he said. “But I have to accept it. As an athlete you have to learn for tomorrow.” Simbu’s victory also served as a swift comeback for East African distance running, following a Frenchman’s win in the 10,000m the previous night.
