Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia reacts after passing the finish line during the men's marathon of athletics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola broke the Olympic record to clinch in the men's marathon gold at the Paris Games on Saturday.

Tola crossed the finish line in two hours, six minutes and 26 seconds, beating the previous Games record of 2:06:32 set by Kenya's Samuel Wanjiru at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Belgium's Bashir Abdi took silver in 2:06:47 and Kenya's Benson Kipruto bronze in 2:07:00.

"I trained so hard for this. This is my great achievement in life," Tola said after the race.

Eliud Kipchoge's attempt to become the first man to win the Olympic marathon three times ended in disappointment as the Kenyan failed to finish due to a back injury.

Another to fall short of expectations was Ethiopia's three-time Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele. The 42-year-old, who won the 5,000-10,000m double at Beijing 2008 and the 10,000 at Athens 2004, could only manage 39th place.

"People have been talking about me and Kipchoge, but you see it was the young generation today. These guys are stronger than us," Bekele said.

Tola almost didn't participate in the marathon, having missed Ethiopia's original entry list for the event.

But he was added to the team in July following an injury to compatriot Sisay Lemma.

"I was the reserve but I was fully prepared and knew I could fulfill my dream," the 32-year-old said.

It was Tola's second Olympic medal, after he claimed bronze in the 10,000m at the Rio 2016 Games.