Great Britain’s Emile Cairess finished strongly to claim an impressive fourth-place finish in a men’s marathon won by Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola in an Olympic record.

Tola took the title in a time of two hours six minutes and 26 seconds, winning his country’s first gold of the Games.

Belgian Bashir Abdi took the silver in 2:06.47 with the bronze going to Kenyan Benson Kipruto in 2:07.00.

Cairess, who qualified for the Paris Olympics after finishing third in the London Marathon in April, took fourth in 2:07.29.

Cairess’ Team GB team-mates Phil Sesemann and Mahamed Mahamed finished 46th and 57th respectively.

Eliud Kipchoge was targeting an unprecedented third straight Olympic title but the Kenyan was unable to finish the race.

Tola, a bronze medallist in the 10,000m at Rio 2016, said: “I am happy because I fulfilled my goal. I prepared well. I trained hard so I could win. In my life, this is my great achievement.”

Tola, who won the New York City marathon in a course record time last year, was not originally in the Ethiopian Olympic squad and was only drafted in when Sisay Lemma pulled out due to a hamstring injury.

Tola added: “I was fully prepared and knew I could fulfil my dream. I am happy to do that. This is the Olympics and it is not easy to win the Olympic Games, not at all. I am very proud, very happy.”