By Sundeep Misra, OCA Media
Nagoya, Japan, September 26, 2026: The women’s marathon was a slow burner that delivered a superb finish, with Bahrain securing its third consecutive gold medal in the event on Saturday.
Shitaye Habte executed a patient strategy, tracking closely behind early surges set by the Japanese and Chinese contingents before unleashing a decisive kick in the closing kilometres to claim gold in 2:27:31.
Reflecting on her composure during the gruelling race, Habte noted: “I knew I had to stay calm when the pace pushed early on. My coach told me to trust my training and wait for the right moment to make the break. Winning gold for Bahrain is an incredible honour.”
Her run was that of an athlete who understood the job and executed it with wonderful ease.
China’s Cirencuomu fought valiantly to secure silver with a season's best 2:27:43, finishing just 12 seconds behind Habte.
Acknowledging the intense battle down the home stretch, Cirencuomu said: “I gave everything I had out there. The pace was not very fast in the start, and I tried to hold on when the gold medallist made her move. I am very happy with my season’s best and am proud to stand on the podium.”
Japan’s Mikuni Yada rounded out the podium to take bronze in 2:27:56. While the Japanese team would undoubtedly be disappointed, knowing the circuit well and benefiting from favourable conditions, marathons remain a different beast entirely, proving it takes far more than just local knowledge to conquer the distance.
Habte’s victory proved that championship marathons are ultimately won through mental composure and timed blocks of run rather than home-soil familiarity alone.