Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu etched his name into the history books by winning the men’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, securing his nation’s first-ever global athletics gold medal. The victory, achieved in dramatic style, came with the narrowest winning margin ever recorded in a world championship marathon — a mere 0.03 seconds.

The marathon unfolded as a tense tactical battle, with a large lead pack staying together until the final kilometres. With just one kilometre to go, Simbu was still among five contenders, running alongside Germany’s Amanol Petros, Uganda’s Abel Chelangat, Italy’s Iliass Aouani, and Israel’s Haimro Alame. By the time the athletes entered the Japan National Stadium, the race had boiled down to a three-man fight between Petros, Simbu, and Aouani.

With 200 metres left, Petros surged ahead and looked certain to take gold. But Simbu, known for his gritty finishing kicks, began to close the gap. In a thrilling final 30 metres, the Tanzanian clawed back to overtake Petros on the line, both men clocking 2:09:48. Aouani followed closely for bronze in 2:09:53.

The victory marks not only a monumental milestone for Tanzanian athletics but also underlines the growing depth of marathon running across Africa. For Simbu, it was the culmination of years of perseverance on the world stage, finally rewarded with the ultimate prize.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Kenya celebrated its own golden moments in Tokyo. President William Ruto congratulated Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir after she stormed to victory in the women’s marathon, hailing her as a symbol of resilience and the embodiment of Kenya’s enduring dominance in distance running.

“Your resilience embodies the Kenyan spirit and proves once again that Kenya rules the marathons. Another gold for our nation, another proud moment as you raise our flag high,” President Ruto said.

The Kenyan leader also praised Beatrice Chebet, who secured Kenya’s first gold of the championships in the women’s 10,000 metres. “You have not only made us proud but also set the pace for Team Kenya in the tournament. Let’s keep the winning spirit alive, Team Kenya!” he added.

The World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, organised by the Local Organising Committee established in 2023, continues to deliver memorable performances and historic milestones, with Simbu’s triumph already standing out as one of the defining moments of the competition.

Would you like me to also create a shorter version of this for social media — one highlighting Simbu’s record-breaking victory?