Kinzang Lhamo, a marathon runner from Bhutan, received a standing ovation despite finishing last on the final day of the Paris Olympics. In a race where as many as 11 runners did not finish, Lhamo completed the hilly and hot course in 3 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds, encouraged over the last kilometres by spectators cycling and running alongside her.
Sifan Hassan wins Gold
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands won the gold medal with an Olympic record of 2:22:25. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa won silver with a time of 2:22:58, while Kenya’s Obiri Hellen won bronze with a personal best of 2:23:10.
As she approached the home straight, fans in the stands in front of the Invalides monument stood to cheer her on as she crossed the finish line, becoming the 80th woman to complete the course.
First-ever Olympics for Lhamo
The 26-year-old Lhamo was participating in her first-ever international competition. She was the flagbearer for Bhutan in the opening ceremony.
An ultramarathon specialist, Lhamo came in second in 2022 in the Snowman Race, an extreme event covering 203 kilometres through the Himalayan mountains. She took up running after joining Bhutan’s army.
