Born in Somalia, raised in Belgium, and training regularly in Ethiopia, marathon runner Bashir Abdi is hoping for another medal in Paris after winning bronze at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
“For me, as a Belgian athlete, it’s an Olympics that feels almost like being at home,” Abdi, 35, told AFP.
The European record holder for the marathon with a time of 2hr 03min 36sec has studied each step of the 42.195-kilometre (26.2-mile) route snaking past the world-famous landmarks of the French capital.
“It’s Paris, I’m excited,” he said.
Abdi knows it’s going to be a tough race on the hilly course through the city and pointed to a particularly tough section at around the 30-kilometre mark.
“Then from there until the finish, it’s very lovely. Nice big roads, no hills anymore, and of course historical parts of Paris, beautiful monuments, buildings,” he said.