International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was in Sapporo on Saturday for the women's marathon. He was at the finish line to cheer the runners home, joined by World Athletics President and IOC member Sebastian Coe.
In the event, Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, who won the 2020 World Half Marathon Championship, found an extra gear with six kilometers to go after she pulled away from her compatriot Brigid Kosgei and Molly Seidel (USA), to win marathon gold with a time of 2:27:20. It was a one-two finish for Kenya, as Jepchirchir was joined 16 seconds later by Kosgei, who took silver, with Seidel winning bronze.
While in Sapporo, Thomas Bach visited the city's Olympic Museum and met a group of seven Japanese Olympians. He was accompanied by Olympian and President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee Hashimoto Seiko, and by the President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, IOC member Yamashita Yasuhiro, who is also an Olympian.
The Olympic Museum is next to the ski jump facility that was used for the Olympic Winter Games Sapporo 1972, which celebrate their 50th anniversary next year. The delegation was also treated to a display of summer ski jumping by young athletes from the region.
The marathon and race walk events were moved to the northern island of Hokkaido, where average temperatures and humidity are lower than in Tokyo. This was part of the extensive heat countermeasures taken during the Games to ensure the health and safety of all the competitors.
( With inputs from ANI )
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