WATCH: Extraordinary scenes at World Athletics Championships as Tanzania's Simbu wins marathon by three hundredths of a second

New Delhi: In one of the most extraordinary moments in the history of the World Athletics Championships, Alphonce Felix Simbu won the gold medal in the 42.195 km men's marathon race in Tokyo by three hundredths of a second.

The London World Championships bronze medallist ended a long wait of eight years for a medal at the world event in style, winning the top podium spot in a photo finish at the World Athletics Championships 2025. 

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By virtue of the remarkable win, Simbu also became the first Tanzanian to win gold at the World Athletics Championships.

The gruelling marathon race came down to a 100-meter sprint at the Japan National Stadium, where the 33-year-old athlete finished ahead of Germany's Amanal Petros at the line. Both athletes clocked two hours, nine minutes and 48 seconds, but the photo finish confirmed Simbu ahead by just 0.03 seconds. This is the smallest winning margin ever in a global championship marathon event.

"Just look at the finish and the kick. When we entered the stadium, I was not sure if I would win. I did not know if I won. But when I saw the video screens and me on the top of the results, I felt relieved," Simbu said after the landmark win.

"I made history today - the first Tanzanian gold medal at the World Championships. I remember in 2017, at the World Championships in London, I won a bronze. Then I ran many times but never got any medals, so finally it is here", he added.

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It was a heartbreaking moment for Petros, who had to settle for a silver. Meanwhile, Italy's Iliass Aouani, 29, bagged the bronze medal with a timing of 2:09:53.

Meanwhile, neither Kenya nor Ethiopia placed a runner in the top 15, making the 2025 edition of the World Championships a rare event where no runner from either country did not take part in the top half of a major marathon.