Hassan started the race in the middle of a group of riders. In this way I was able to control the Ethiopian and Kenyan athletes who set the pace. The slow pace in the initial stage played in Hassan’s favour with her strong final race. She got in on the last lap, started her last race and outrun her rivals. With more than 200 meters remaining, the Dutch took the lead. Kenyan Obiri couldn’t keep up with Hassan Almutlaq and watched her cross the line with a massive show of force.
Hassan’s gold means the Netherlands’ first athletics gold since Elaine van Langen who won the 800m in 1992 and the fourth-ever athletics gold medal after Fanny Blankers Quinn and Rhea Stallman.
5000m is the first part of Lahcen’s trilogy. Hasan, who trains in America, wants to win the gold medal in three distances. No athlete has ever won a medal at these three distances in the same games. Earlier today, Hassan qualified for the 1500m semi-finals. She crashed, but managed to place herself among the top six athletes with a solid final race.
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