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Marathon thriller: Petros misses gold in photo finish against Simbu!
The article reports on the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where Amanal Petros and Alphonce Simbu dramatically fought for medals in the marathon.
Marathon thriller: Petros misses gold in photo finish against Simbu!
On September 15, 2025, the marathon took place at the World Championships in Tokyo, which posed a great challenge for the participants. Austrian runner Gruen described the race as the hardest he has ever run. In temperatures of 28 degrees, he achieved a time of 2:22:07 hours and felt honored to run for Austria. However, his personal best is 2:09:53 hours, set in the spring. Gruen stated that the first half of the 42.195 kilometer race went according to plan, however at kilometer 22 he had problems and it was just a matter of survival. He became an Austrian citizen in 2022 as a descendant of those persecuted by the Nazi regime.
A large group of 39 runners formed at the front of the race at the halfway point. Tanzanian Alphonce Simbu made history when he crossed the finish line almost simultaneously with Amanal Petros from Germany and Iliass Aouani from Italy. Petros, who completed the course in 2:09:48 hours, secured the silver medal, the first for a German marathon runner since reunification and only the second German medal in this discipline at the World Championships, after Waldemar Cierpinski's bronze in 1983. Petros dedicated his medal to his mother, who lives in a war zone in Ethiopia and whom he has not seen for eight to nine years.
Race results in detail
The medal-related competition was particularly exciting due to the photo finish, with Petros finishing just 0.03 seconds behind Simbu. Aouani took third place with a time of 2:09:53 hours. Richard Ringer, who also competed for Germany, was unable to stay in the leading group over the course of the race and finished in 13th place. Another notable detail is that Germany failed to win a medal at the last World Championships in Budapest two years ago, while this event in Japan is now the second medal for the German Athletics Association, after long jumper Malaika Mihambo's silver medal.
Marathon running history
The marathon itself has a long history that dates back to ancient times. This discipline has been offered at the Olympic Games for men since 1896 and for women since 1984. The longest Olympic running distance of 42.195 kilometers has been set since 1921. This distance has been recognized by the IAAF as an official marathon route. Marathons are extremely popular around the world, with prestigious events in cities such as Boston, New York, London and Tokyo. The health risks of marathon running are minimal, but beginners are advised to undergo a health check before training. Nowadays, wheelchair marathons and handbike competitions also take place frequently.
In summary, the marathon at the World Championships in Tokyo was an impressive event for both runners and spectators, bringing with it both successes and personal challenges. More and more people are interested in this sport, which is also reflected in the increasing number of marathon runners worldwide.