Olympics-Athletics-Hassan confirms quest for Games treble in Tokyo

By Sudipto Ganguly

TOKYO (Reuters) - Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan confirmed on Sunday that she will attempt an unprecedented Olympic treble on the Tokyo track, adding the 1,500 metres event to her 5,000m and 10,000m runs.

Hassan won her 5,000m heat at the Olympic Stadium to qualify for Monday's final but said that she was yet to make a decision on her events due to the stifling conditions in Tokyo and the COVID-19 restrictions.

"For me it is crucial to follow my heart," she said in a statement on Sunday confirming her participation in all three track events.

"Doing that is far more important than gold medals. That keeps me motivated and it keeps me enjoying this beautiful sport."

The Ethiopian-born 28-year-old, a world champion in the 1,500 and 10,000, will have to run the first round of the 1500 in Monday's day session when temperatures are set to soar close to 40 degrees Celsius.

She will then need to recover sufficiently before returning to the track in the evening for the strenuous 5,000m final.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Shri Navaratnam)