The impossible treble quest was complete on Sunday, as the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan used a late burst over the final 300 meters of the women's marathon at the Paris Olympics to walk away with a win, her third medal of the Games and a new Olympic record. 

What a moment it was. 

Coming off bronze medals in the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters -- including a bronze in the 10K just 37 hours previously -- Hassan clocked a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes and 55 seconds over 26.2 miles to outkick Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa, the world record-holder at the distance, to complete a mission that only one athlete had accomplished before her. 

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"I had to give everything so I don't regret today," Hassan said in the mixed zone.

That name was Emil Zápotek, the legendary Czech distance runner who won three golds in the 5K, 10K and marathon in 1952. 

Hassan is now in elusive company, having claimed three gold medals since 2021 and six overall medals over her Olympic career. She authored wins in the 5K and 10K at the Tokyo Olympics. 

Hassan's Total Tally

In Paris, Hassan ran a little over 38 miles over 10 days -- officially 62 kilometers -- and ran times of 14:30.61 in the 5K and 30:44.12 in the 10K. 

"I think she just has really ambitious goals and she just wants to go after them," Hassan's coach Tim Rowberry said. "Because there are a lot of things that people would like to see her try or would like her to do. She doesn't really think about that. She doesn't even think about who she's competing again.

"When the world record was broken in the marathon, all that made her do was change her goal to how fast she felt like she had to run. It wasn't like she was scared of it or worried about it, she just thought, 'Oh, that's what I have to do now.'"

On Sunday, she kept contact with the leaders past the halfway mark and fought through a hilly and picturesque course in Paris. When Assefa tried to break away late in the race, Hassan followed her, swerving to the Ethiopian's inside as the pair went shoulder-to-shoulder for a moment. 

Hassan burst on to the final straight and finished the job. 

"I had to give everything so I don't regret today," Hassan said.

Additional Notes

The top American on Sunday was Dakotah Lindwurm, the third-place finisher from the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February. 

The Minnesota-based runner Lindwurm fought through tough conditions to finish 12th in 2:26.44 and at one point found herself in the top three after the halfway mark. 

• Emily Sisson, the second-place finisher at the U.S. Trials, was 23rd overall in a time of 2:29.53. 
• Fiona O'Keeffe, the U.S. national champion in the marathon, did not finish after starting on the line to begin Sunday's marathon. She did not make it past the 5K marker. 

When Are The Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

The Olympics begin on July 26 and end on August 11. The track and field events will begin on Aug. 1. 

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