Addis Ababa: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Sahlework Zewude have extended congratulatory message over athlete Tamirat Tola’s Olympics marathon gold medal in Paris.

‘At the Paris 2024 Olympics, heroic athlete Tamirat Tola raised our flag once again by winning gold in the marathon,’ the premier posted on X.

Similarly, President Sahle-work Zewde said Tamirat Tola has brought about happiness and pride to our nation.

Today’s victory has a special meaning, the president underscored.

Tamirat Tola becomes the first Ethiopian to win the Olympic marathon since 2000.

He clocked an impressive 2:06:26 on the brutal at Paris 2024 course.

Tamirat, the 2022 world champion, thus joins the fabled list of fellow Ethiopians who have won this prized race – Abebe Bikila in 1960 and 1964, Mamo Wolde in 1968 and Gezahegne Abera in 2000 – and added gold to the Olympic 10,000m bronze he won in 2016.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency