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2020 Summer Olympic Games
23 July – 8 August 2021
Tokyo, Japan
Sifan Hassan's quest for Olympic history got off to the perfect start.
The Netherlands long-distance runner finished strong to win the women's 5000m final on Monday and her first Olympic medal, but she isn't close to being done just yet.
Ethiopian-born Hassan, who arrived in the Netherlands as a 15-year-old refugee and became a Dutch citizen in late 2013, has set her sights on an unprecedented treble at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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The 28-year-old will now aim on adding the 1500m and 10,000m gold to her resume. In order for her to complete what would be an iconic feat, she would require to participate in six races over eight days in hot conditions on the Tokyo track.
Doubters were turned into believers on Monday when she overcame an early-morning fall in the 1500m heats to win the 5000m gold later that evening.
Hassan will feel that the hardest of the three is now done with the mile world record holder having won the 1500m-10,000m double at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.
“For me it is crucial to follow my heart,” said Hassan in a press release. “Doing that is far more important than gold medals. That keeps me motivated and it keeps me enjoying this beautiful sport.”
The women's 1500m and 10,000m finals will take place on Friday and Saturday respectively.
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