Sifan Hassan, the Full RunBlogRun Interview , speaks on her operating origins, her experiences, and her current Olympic medals

Sifan Hassan is likely one of the hottest and interesting athletes on the planet! In all of our social media for Paris 2024, Sifan Hassan was hottest international athlete from Paris 2024! 

Sifan Hassan and her household moved to the Netherlands in 2008 at 15 as a political refugee from Ethiopia. Sifan grew to become a citizen of the Netherlands in 2013. This author first noticed her on the 2014 European Athletics Out of doors Championships in August 2014 in Zurich. On the EAC, Sifan took bronze within the 5,000m and gained the 1,500m! It was all the time enjoyable watching Sifan race and her emotional response to her racing and apparent enjoyment of the game! 

Sifan has all the time raced over the spectrum. Early in her profession, she ran from 800 meters to the half marathon to cross nation. In December 2013, Sifan Hassan took gold within the European Athletics U 23 Cross Nation champs, plus helped the Netherlands crew take the bronze medal! That was the primary time she represented her new nation, the Netherlands. 

Sifan owned the world document within the mile from 2019 to 2023 (4:12). She owned the ten,000m world document for 2 days and nonetheless owns the World document for the hour run (18,930 meters is 11.7623 miles), which is brutal! 

Sifan Hassan, qualifying in London 2017 heats, photograph by Mike Deering / The Shoe Addicts

By way of European information? Sifan Hassan holds European information at 1,500m, 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m, half marathon and marathon! 

Sifan Hassan is a tremendously proficient athlete who works onerous, laughs, and races with abandon. On RunBlogRun’s international viewers, she is one among our hottest, judging by social media response, and the article reads. 

We reached out to Brett Holts at NIKE sports activities advertising and requested if he may assist us attain Sifan Hassan. Not solely did Brett Holts get it achieved, however the pace with which the interview got here again was unimaginable! 

We hope you get pleasure from these insights into Sifan Hassan, who simply gained bronze on the 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, after which gold within the marathon! These are her fourth, fifth, and sixth Olympic medals. 

 

Sifan Hassan takes European Cross Nation Champs, December 2015, photograph by Getty Photographs for European Athletics

 

Cross-Nation

1. RunBlogRun: Sifan, what had been your first experiences in cross nation like? What’s your greatest lesson from operating cross nation? What’s the finest racing tip you can provide younger runners about cross nation?

Sifan Hassan:  I’ve all the time beloved cross-country. I grew up within the mountains and truly most get pleasure from operating on uneven terrain.

 

Cross nation taught me a lot by way of endurance and placement in racing. I really like the liberty of motion in cross nation, which you additionally
discover in street operating. In monitor races, all people’s afraid of operating too onerous or operating too far on an out of doors lane. I don’t like this, so I all the time keep within the again. I really feel like cross-country offers you a lot extra choices.

I like to recommend beginning off slowly and pacing your self nicely. I bear in mind beginning off approach too quick as soon as, and it felt extra sophisticated than a marathon.

Sifan Hassan, February 2024, Tokyo Marathon construct up, photograph by NN Working Crew

2. RunBlogRun: Will we see you race extra cross-country races?

Sifan Hassan: I’d completely like to! I like the concept of together with cross-country races within the build-up to a marathon. The schedule makes it onerous, however I’d love to incorporate extra subsequent season.

Sifan Hassan completed 4th within the 2024 Tokyo Marathon final March in 2:18:05. photograph by NN Working crew

 

 

Tokyo 2020

3. RunBlogRun; In Tokyo, within the heats, you fell within the 1,500m, and I bear in mind you getting up and sprinting to catch up, transferring to the ultimate; inform us about that race?

 

Sifan Hassan: It was one of the vital emotional moments of my profession. The Olympics are the very best level in our sport, one thing I’ve labored so onerous for. Considering I’d lose my likelihood at a medal due to a fall made me get again up instantly and focus much more on what I needed to perform. It additionally gave me the push I wanted for the 5000m last later that night.

Sifan Hassan talking with coach, Tokyo 2021, photograph by Stuart Weir

 

Budapest 2023

4. RunBlogRun: How’s the autumn within the homestretch of the ten,000m impacted you?

Sifan Hassan: After all, I’d have most well-liked to not fall. But when I can put it this manner, I don’t assume I wanted the medal to show one thing to myself. Making it that far into the race was an achievement in itself, and although the autumn was unlucky, I used to be nonetheless pleased with my efficiency. Seeing Femke (Bol) fall within the relay afterward additionally helped put issues into perspective for each of us, I feel.

Religion Kipyegon battles with Sifan Hassan over 5,000m, World Athletics Championships
Budapest, Hungary
August 19-27, 2023, photograph by Kevin Morris

Paris 2024

5. RunBlogRun: The longer the race, the higher you appear to do; inform us how powerful the Paris triple was?

Sifan Hassan: I used to be terrified but in addition interested by what would possibly occur. I took it one step at a time, staying grateful, resting as a lot as potential, and specializing in my vitamin. The 5000m was the place I felt probably the most unsure, however the warmth gave me confidence, and I used to be thrilled with the end result within the last. As soon as that was achieved, I may give attention to the ten,000m and the marathon. I wasn’t delighted with the ten,000m; I felt I had an opportunity for gold, nevertheless it motivated me extra for the marathon. Crossing the marathon’s end line was like a firework in my head. I used to be joyful to win however much more happy to have accomplished my mission.

Sifan Hassan gained the Paris Olympic marathon, , photograph courtesy of OMIUS

6. RunBlogRun: Inform us about that end in Paris within the marathon? It was like a motorcycle race!

Sifan Hassan: With a motorcycle, climb within the center! (laughs) I simply tried to remain centered and watch out to the end line. In the previous few meters, I stored
telling myself, “Don’t fall, don’t fall!” since you by no means know what would possibly occur. I wasn’t pleased with my 10,000m race a few days earlier, so I feel that made me focus extra and combat tougher. The marathon was important to me.

Sifan Hassan wins the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon, August 11, 2024, photograph by World Athletics

Miscellaneous

7. RunBlogRun: You’ve got raced the 800m to the marathon. Do you could have a favourite distance?

Sifan Hassan: I really like all distances for various causes, however I’ve actually come to like the marathon.

 

Sifan Hassan, TCS London Marathon
London, England, United Kingdom
April 23, 2023, photograph by Kevin Morris

 

Main Marathons

8. RunBlogRun: In your first marathon in London, you stopped a number of instances, and announcers thought you had been out of the race! It was so thrilling to look at you race there; inform us about your first marathon?

Sifan Hassan: It was a singular expertise. Earlier than the race, my coach and I seemed on the discipline and thought, “This would possibly get powerful, however let’s see what occurs.” I used to be joyful to meet up with the pack regardless of the struggles and, clearly, so happy with the end result.

Sifan Hassan, TCS London Marathon
London, England, United Kingdom
April 23, 2023, photograph by Kevin Morris

9. RunBlogRun: Your marathon in Chicago was spectacular, and also you appeared to have a lot enjoyable within the presser. Submit-event, you thanked the media for overlaying you; how do you take a look at racing? What’s your philosophy?

Sifan Hassan: My coach and I already had the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon heading in the right direction in our thoughts. London was nice, however I needed to see whether or not I may run a quick marathon earlier than Paris. So yeah, I used to be more than happy after that.

 

Sifan Hassan en path to racing 2:13.44 (she’s within the NIKE AlphaFly3, obtainable to customers in early 2024, photograph by Kevin Morris

 

Legacy

10. RunBlogRun: In the event you had been chatting with a room of younger ladies from all over the world who need to run, what would you inform them?

Sifan Hassan: Please, please, please encourage the individuals round you to run as nicely. Train is so essential. It makes you more healthy, it makes you reside longer, it
lets you set objectives in all areas of your life, and so forth. So, attempt to encourage the individuals round you to run, too.

 

The joyful warrior, Sifan Hassan, Emily Sisson, Chicago Marathon 2023,
photograph by Kevin Morris

 

Coaching

11. RunBlogRun: What’s the exercise you don’t like however is all the time a superb exercise for you?

Sifan Hassan: Ugh, any 5k-specific exercise. I hate kilometer reps, however they’re so essential!

 

Sifan Hassan, World Champs 2019, photograph by Getty Photographs for World Athletics

 

Gear

12. RunBlogRun: What footwear do you practice in?

Sifan Hassan: I change between completely different Nike fashions, however I take advantage of the Nike Infinity probably the most.

Nike Infinity, shoe that Sifan Hassan makes use of for a few of her coaching, photograph courtsy of Nike operating

13. RunBlogRun; What footwear do you race in (monitor and street)?

Sifan Hassan: Nike Victory & Dragonfly (monitor), Nike Alphafly 3 (street).

Sifan Hassan used the NIKE Victory in Paris 2024, photograph by NIKE Working

 

Sifan Hassan used NIKE Dragonfly +2 as one among her footwear in Paris 2024, photograph by NIKE Working

 

Sifan Hassan ran the Paris Marathon in NIKE AlphaFly +3, photograph by NIKE Working

 

Particular because of Sifan Hassan for taking the time for the interview. Simon Barieu (Go Badgers) was very essential to this interview. Due to Johnny Nielsen and Brett Holts. 

As this text was being pubished, Sifan Hassan introduced that the Qatar Basis had acknowledged Sifan as a worldwide position mannequin for younger ladies. Sifan will aslo be an envoy for monitor & discipline for the QF basis, extra right here: https://www.qf.org.qa/tales/qf-launches-the-creating-pathways-program-to-develop-local-girls-sporting

Liz McColgan, QF Director of athletics, with Sifan Hassan, new Qatari Basis Director of Athletics, photograph courtesy of Qatari Basis

  • Larry Eder

    Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement within the sport of athletics. Larry has skilled the game as an athlete, coach, journal writer, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America’s first sub-4 minute miler, was revealed in RW in 1983. Larry has revealed a number of magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. model of Spikes journal. He presently manages the content material and advertising growth of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his every day pilgrimage with the game, Larry says: “I’ve to confess, I really like touring to far-off meets, writing in regards to the sport I really like, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, probably the most of something I’ve ever achieved, besides, perhaps operating itself.” Additionally does some updates for BBC Sports activities at key occasions, which he actually enjoys. Theme music: Greg Allman, ” I am no Angel.”

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