Syracuse, N.Y. -- Former Syracuse runner Iliass Aouani placed third in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships on Monday in Tokyo.

The world championships are widely considered the most prestigious running competition in the world outside of the Olympics. Aouani finished the 26.2-mile event in two hours, 9 minutes and 53 seconds.

He crossed the finish line just five seconds behind winner Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania. The winner of the event was decided in a photo finish, with Simbu barely beating Germany’s Amanal Petros.

The bronze-medal performance was the second elite international result for Aouani this year. Five months ago he won a gold medal in the marathon at the European Championships in Brussels.

Those results make Aouani a strong candidate to compete in the Olym

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