On Sunday, 27 September, on the streets of Berlin, the 35-year-old Ethiopian Gaye Adola crossed the finish line with a personal record of 2:02:50. He reclaimed the title he had first won in 2021, and he did so at a moment when many had already written him off.
Adola broke away from the lead group after the 25th kilometre, when the pace slackened slightly. Over the next ten kilometres he built a nine-second advantage over his compatriot Gemechu Dida, and by the finish he had stretched the gap to 29 seconds. Dida took second with 2:03:19, and the Tanzanian Gabriel Geay (2:03:59) was third. The Ethiopians once again dominated, completing a double success together with the winner of the women's race, Tigst Assefa.
For Adola, Berlin is a special place. It was here in 2017 that he made his marathon debut and finished second only to Eliud Kipchoge, setting a personal record of 2:03:46 at the time. Nine years later he improved that time by almost a minute, despite his age, which in the marathon is often considered the threshold of decline. His victory in Rotterdam in the spring of 2026 had already hinted at a return to form, but it was in Berlin that he proved that experience and patience outweigh the raw speed of younger rivals.
The key to Adola's success lies not only in the tactics of a solo surge but also in psychology. In a marathon, as in a long game of chess where every move requires calculating dozens of moves ahead, the 35-year-old runner read his rivals' fatigue better. He waited for the moment when the group would begin to lose concentration and struck. This approach contrasts with the aggressive tactics of younger Ethiopians, who often burn out before the finish.
Adola's victory recalls the story of an experienced master who returns to the arena where he once shone and shows that age is not a sentence but accumulated capital. In a world where sponsors and federations chase new stars, such results force a reassessment of the value of stability and long-term preparation.
Ethiopian dominance in the marathon continues, but Adola's example shows that even in an era of ultra-fast times, the decisive factor remains the human capacity for long patience and a precise calculation of one's strength.
