Dutch runner Sifan Hassan trying to win 5,000, 10,000 and marathon in Paris -- 'It is very hard'

Paris, Jul 31 (AP) Attempting to defend her 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre titles at the Olympics isn't enough for Ethiopian-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan.

She also will push herself in the ultimate test of endurance, adding the marathon to her program at the Paris Games.

“I can't tell you I'm going to get the gold medal in every event,” Hassan said Wednesday. “It is very hard.” Hassan's program will look like this: The 5,000 heats on Friday and the final on Monday.

The 10,000 on Friday, August 9.

The marathon is on Sunday, August 11.

She'll compete over a whopping 62 kilometres (38.6 miles) — nearly far enough to run from Paris to Versailles and back twice. And, she'll have roughly only 35 hours between the end of the 10,000 and the marathon.

“I'm curious what is going to happen,” Hassan said. “My biggest goal is to finish the event(s). And, how I'm going to recover.” Hassan could have run a fourth event, having earned bronze in the 1,500 in Tokyo.

But now, she can match Emil Zatopek's exploit from 1952, when the Czech runner swept the 5,000, 10,000 and the marathon at the Helsinki Games.

When Hassan started winning multiple events earlier in her career, she learned about Zatopek and watched a film about him.

“I started studying and was really inspired, became a big fan of him,” she said. “I watched two times this movie. … I really never thought I would become like him. … He's an (inspiration).” (AP) AYG