Tanzania's Simbu Wins First World Marathon Gold in Photo Finish

At the World Athletics Championships men's marathon in Tokyo, Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania won gold in a historic photo finish, edging out Germany's Amanal Petros by just 0.03 seconds with a time of 2:09:48. This victory marks Tanzania's first-ever gold medal at the World Athletics Championships and the first Olympic or world championship gold in any event for the country. The race was contested under challenging conditions with high heat and humidity, and a large pack of runners stayed together well past the halfway mark before the lead group thinned out near the end. Petros, originally from Eritrea, and Italy's Illiass Aouani finished closely behind, with Aouani taking third place. American runner Clayton Young finished ninth despite a fall earlier in the race. The marathon’s closest finish in world championships history showcased intense competition and endurance, culminating in a dramatic sprint finish.