Dutch track star Sifan Hassan mulling marathon switch

Dutch track star Sifan Hassan, who won double Olympic gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Games, said Tuesday she was thinking about stepping up to the marathon.

“I’m really planning to run marathon,” said the Ethiopia-born Hassan. “I don’t know when, but I’m thinking about it, I’m thinking about it every night and every day, whenever I run.”

When asked whether she might have a tilt at the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she replied with a laugh: “Why not?”

Hassan, 29, also won bronze in the 1,500 in Tokyo in a remarkable bid for three titles.

That effort, however, took its toll and Hassan has enjoyed a hiatus from the sport, time she said that had been constructively spent learning about her true self.

“In Tokyo I did amazing, but it affected me a lot. This year for me is like a break of a year,” Hassan said ahead of Wednesday’s 5,000-meter race, part of the Diamond League finals in Zurich.

“I have to have a very big goal and very big challenge to go forward,” she added, describing herself as “curious” to see if she can push her limits for challenges as much mental as physical.

“I’ve lost a couple of races, which gave me a boost,” she said of this season. “I’m in great shape, I’m peaking now.”

Much was expected of Hassan at July’s world championships in Oregon, but she could only finish sixth in the 5,000 and fourth in the 10,000.

posted Friday September 9th