Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu produced a winning dip at the line to snatch world marathon gold from Germany's Amanal Petros in Tokyo on Monday.
Simbu and Eritrea-born Petros were both clocked at 2 hr 09 min 48 sec in the most dramatic of endings for the longest event of the world championships in the Japanese capital, the Tanzanian adjudged to have finished three-hundredths ahead.
Italy's Iliass Aouani claimed bronze in 2:09:53.
"I made history today -- the first Tanzanian gold medal at a world championship,” said Simbu, who won bronze at the 2017 worlds in London.
Athletes pull out
There was an 88-strong field from 47 countries that took to the streets of Tokyo for the gruelling 26-mile (42 km) race.
But many wilted in the hot, stifling morning conditions.
Twenty-two failed to finish, not least Ethiopia's Tadese Takele, who pulled out at the 33 km mark, switching his watch off and climbing over a barrier from the road onto a pavement, seemingly grimacing in pain.
Takele had won the Tokyo Marathon in March in 2:03:23, making him the fastest entrant for the marathon at the world championships.
His Ethiopian teammate Deresa Geleta, second to Takele in the Tokyo Marathon, was the next high-profile casualty, pulling up at 35.5 km.
Uganda's Abel Chelangat had paced much of the race, leading a definitive breakout at the 39.5 km mark that split the lead pack to five, including all three medallists.
Final moments
Petros led the podium trio onto the track for what proved to be a totally gripping final 300 metres.
The German opened up down the back straight but was tracked by Simbu -- second at this year's Boston Marathon in 2:05:05 -- with Aouani back in third.
Petros looked like he had the win as he neared the finish line, but with Simbu fast advancing with a last-gasp spurt of energy, the German could do nothing but glance nervously over his right shoulder as his legs tied up.
Simbu's persistence paid off as the 33-year-old broke the line just ahead of Petros, who tumbled to the floor.
"I have never seen something like this in the marathon -- both the men and women's races came down to a sprint finish. It's like the 100 m!" said Petros.
"Coming into the finish, I was thinking about winning, so a bit of me is feeling very sad. I'm sad I lost gold in the last three metres, but I am very happy also for Simbu."
