Sifan Hassan has decided to give her body more time to heal. Hassan, as is well known, is one of the legendary long-distance runners of modern times. She has been in top form constantly and despite having five European records, Hassan is probably feeling the blues.

In one of her recent social media updates, Hassan expressed her thoughts about getting enough rest. She also had bad news for her fans regarding her World Cross Country Championships. 

Sifan Hassan opts out of World Cross Country Championships

Sifan Hassan clinched the pole position at the 2023 London Marathon by clocking an impeccable 2:18:33. Thus, her fans expected Hassan to carry forward the shining form in the World Cross Country Championships this year. Unfortunately, expressing a contradicting emotion, Hassan wrote on her Instagram story, “I’ve changed my plans and decided to continue training over competing at World Cross Country Championships. I prefer to give my body more time to recover from the marathon and focus on what is ahead. 🙌”

Although Hassan’s absence from the tournament might have made her fans disappointed, it might be a blessing in disguise. The 31-year-old is focusing hard on the Olympics and wants to be devoid of any unwanted injuries. The Dutch athlete had a memorable Tokyo Olympics, winning a couple of gold and a solitary bronze medal. This year too, Hassan might have a similar aim of triumphing in all three disciplines in Paris. 

Speaking of her records, Hassan holds the second position as the fastest runner in history at the marathon(2:13:44) and 10000m(29:06.82). The athlete is also the 9th fastest and 7th fastest runner at 5000m (14:13.42) and 1500m(3:51.95). Shockingly, Hassan was about to quit athletics soon after the 2016 Olympics. After a fifth-position finish at the 1500m final, Hassan was devastated and said, “I stopped. I told my manager I was done with running.” 

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However, the 31-year-old’s immense grit and determination saw her return to training, and the comeback was stunning. Hassan came back at the 2019 Doha Worlds and clinched two gold medals in the 10000m and 1500m categories. The Dutch track and field sensation took a leaf out of her own book and inspired others to never give up. She said, “But I became two times [Olympic champion] and one time bronze. That’s the reason I cannot predict my life, it’s a lot of lessons for me.” Thus, with Hassan taking out time for her training, fans can expect her to come out all guns blazing at the Paris Olympics and once again, aim to create history.

Read More: Eliud Kipchoge and Sudan Hassan Confirmed for Tokyo Marathon; Will Look to Create History Before Paris