Historic photo finish decides men’s marathon champion in Tokyo
A historic moment unfolded at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as the men’s marathon champion was decided by photo finish for the first time, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu and Germany’s Amanal Petros both stopped the clock at 2:09:48 after covering the 42.195-kilometer distance. Italy’s Iliass Aouani finished just behind in 2:09:53, securing the bronze medal.
The high-precision timing system confirmed that Simbu edged ahead of Petros by only 0.03 seconds. Petros had maintained the lead almost from the start, but the final sprint determined the outcome. The margin of 0.03 seconds is the smallest ever recorded between gold and silver in the marathon at the World Championships.
The use of photo finish technology in the marathon marks a new chapter in athletics. For Tanzania, Simbu’s victory also brought the country its first gold medal at a World Athletics Championships.
Earlier, it was reported that Representing Kazakhstan, the former world champion Nora Jeruto advanced to the final in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
