Sifan Hassan, the winner of the women’s marathon at the Olympics has been praised after defiantly wearing a hijab at her medal ceremony.
The Dutch runner who had already picked up two bronze medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m races at this Olympics went on to win gold in the marathon with a time of two hours, 22 minutes and 55 seconds.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa claimed silver while Kenya’s Hellen Obiri took home the bronze.
The 31-year-old became the first athlete to medal in all three of the long-distance events at the same Olympic Games since Czech Emil Zatopek in 1952.
Following her win, Hassan said: “I feel like I am dreaming. At the end I thought, ‘This is just a 100m sprint. Come on, Sifan. One more. Just feel it, like someone who sprints 200m.’”
In previous Olympics, the men’s marathon has taken place on the final day with the medallists being presented on the podium at the closing ceremony.
Paris was the first Olympics to boast gender parity, and the women’s race was run on the final day meaning the women were presented with their medals at the closing ceremony instead.
While receiving her gold medal in front of fellow athletes and a packed crowd at the Stade de France, Hassan wore a maroon-coloured hijab.
The image of her stood on top of the podium struck a chord with fans after the host country controversially banned its own athletes from wearing head coverings at the Olympics.
Viewers took to X to share their thoughts with one user saying: “Sifan Hassan wearing her hijab to her gold medal crowning ceremony for the women’s marathon, after France banned females from wearing hijabs at the 2024 games. She is so powerful. What a woman!”
Another said: “Congrats to Hassan! Love seeing the image of her wearing hijab in the host country that banned its own athletes from wearing it.”
A third user claimed it was an ‘unforgettable moment for her and the entire world’.
Last September, French Minister of Sports Amelia Oudea-Castera announced athletes representing France would not be allowed to wear the hijab.
There was strong back-lash from a number of organisations including Amnesty International who, a week before the Games commenced, wrote: “French authorities made it emphatically and unashamedly clear… that their proclaimed efforts at improving gender equality and inclusivity in sports do not apply to one group of women and girls – those Muslim women and girls who wear religious head coverings.”
Related: Wife of Tory councillor arrested on racial hatred charges is refused bail