Callum Hawkins winced. Eliud Kipchoge just beamed. “That smile is the happiness,” said the 36-year-old Kenyan and sage of the streets. “They say to enjoy this world is to be happy. While you are happy it helps you relax and enjoy the race." 

Not all had a whale of a time as the men’s marathon in Sapporo unfolded in brutal heat and humidity early on Sunday morning. Not Hawkins, certainly, who was taken off the course in a wheelchair for treatment on an ankle that has bothered him sporadically in the build-up and lasted for just past 25 of the 42 kilometres and then was done.

But Kipchoge, abundantly joyous, as he joined Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila and East Germany's Waldemar Cierpinski as the only runners to defend this title on the Olympic stage, with his winning time of two hours, eight minutes and 38 seconds – almost seven minutes off his world record – a reflection of conditions so brutal that we saw many collapse or cede defeat on the course.

Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands was distant in silver in 2:09:58 with Belgium’s Bashir Abdi taking bronze. But when the master made his decisive move just past the 30km mark, he would not be caught and that smile grew and grew to the line.

“I think I have fulfilled the legacy by winning the marathon for the second time, back-to-back,” the victor, claiming his fourth Olympic medal of his storied career. “I hope now to help inspire the next generation.”

Englishman Chris Thompson was the leading UK athlete in 54th in 2:21:29 with Northern Irish duo Kevin Seaward and Paul Pollock 58th and 71st respectively. Hawkins was tracking the leaders almost to half-distance, backing up his intention to challenge mightily as he has in the past two world championships.

His homespun heat chambers – a hot tub in the back garden and heaters in his Dad’s shed - allowed him to brush off the torture from the sun. “I didn’t struggle too much with the conditions, it was warm and you could feel it,” he said. However last November, the 29-year-old suffered a stress reaction in his ankle bone which was sporadically prone to stiffening up, with an Achilles issue thrown on top for bad measure.

“I haven’t been able to shift it,” he revealed. “The last six weeks, my legs have disappeared and I’ve only done two marathon sessions in the last six weeks.

“I don’t know what happened or where it came from. The race was fine. I had a small bad patch at half-way and then my ankle got sorer and I just couldn’t keep going.  The whole thing has been tough.”

He will look to right himself properly ahead of a 2022 in which the world championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games will be sandwiched, inconveniently, within a five-week window in mid-summer. One from three for the marathon runners.

Europeans likely offers his best shot of a medal, the worlds the greatest prestige, and the Commonwealths a shot at redemption following his collapse at Gold Coast 2018 when he held the lead within sight of the finish. 

“I feel unfinished business in both the worlds and the Commies,” he confirmed. “So it'll be a tough one.” Only one mission now though. “I need some time off – and a beer.”