Running News Daily

Paris Olympics sees record numbers of marriage proposals

Olympic engagement rings were almost as popular as medals at the 2024 Games

Paris 2024 definitely put the rings in the Olympic rings. With nine new engagements, the Paris Olympics set the record for the most proposals ever at one Games–very fitting for the City of Love. Four of these came from athletics, with a jumper, a thrower, a steeplechaser and a marathoner all taking part in what has seemed to become another Olympic trend. Some of the romantic gestures received criticism for overshadowing the athletic performances–but all partners said “yes,” and seemed pretty pleased about the special moment.

U.S. marathoner Dakotah Lindwurm

The American marathoner became an Olympian and a fiancée in the same day–on Sunday, her boyfriend had been waiting on one knee when she made her Olympic debut and crossed the line with an impressive 12th-place finish in the fastest marathon in Olympic history. Lindwurm was the first American to complete the race, clocking 2:26:44. She may not have won a medal or achieved a personal best, but she excitedly accepted the engagement ring.

French steeplechaser Alice Finot

Also making her Olympic debut, Finot broke the European record with her fourth-place finish in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase final on Thursday, finishing in 8:58.67. She then reached behind her race bib to pull out a pin that she had run with, before dropping to her knee and presenting the pin to her partner, Bruno Martínez Bargiela.

Finot told herself she would propose if she ran under nine minutes, seeing as nine is both her lucky number and marks the number of years the couple has been together. As if to slip an engagement ring onto his finger, she fastened the pin, engraved with the words “Love is in Paris,” to his shirt.

Brazilian triple jumper Almir dos Santos

Almir dos Santos followed his 11th-place finish in the men’s triple jump final on Friday by bringing his girlfriend, Talita Ramos, trackside at the Stade de France and popping the question. 80,000 onlookers watched as he gently placed the ring on her finger on her right hand; the couple got an overwhelming amount of attention for this huge “error”. (In Brazilian culture, the ring is switched to the left hand after wedding vows are made).

American shot-putter Payton Otterdahl

Otterdahl chose a slightly more private setting to make his grand gesture. While touring the city, he presented an engagement ring to his girlfriend, Maddy Nilles, in front of the Eiffel Tower. One day earlier, on Aug. 3, he took fourth place in the men’s shot put final.

Los Angeles (the next host for the Summer Olympics) isn’t known for being quite as romantic as Paris, so this new Olympic record will probably remain for a long time.

Sifan Hassan is simply one of the best female distance runners ever

Sifan Hassan defies conventional logic or reasoning. It shouldn’t be possible to do many of the things she does. However time and again she sets herself impossible challenges and goes about achieving them. At this Olympics, she started by securing bronze medals in the 5000m and 10,000m in perhaps the most efficient way possible, staying at the back of the pack, running her own race and kicking through the field over the last lap to secure a bronze medal in each.

Then she took on the ultimate racing challenge, the Olympic marathon, on one of the most challenging courses ever seen. When she was with the leaders with two kilometers left to go, there was a sense of inevitability, and of destiny, that awaited her in front of the appropriately golden dome of Les Invalides on the final morning of the Paris Olympics.

As she crossed the finish line to secure the third Olympic gold of her career, she became the first female athlete to win individual Olympic golds across 5000m, 10,000m and the marathon.

At two successive games, she has medalled in not one, not two, but three different individual events, achieving this whilst battling a schedule that would make it near impossible for an athlete to give their best across all three events. The triple she attempted on this occasion has only been attempted (at least successfully) by one athlete in history: the Czech athlete Emil Zátopek at the 1952 Olympics, in which he won all three events.

Eliud Kipchoge explains why he did not finish Olympic marathon and reveals future plan

Eliud Kipchoge has explained a back injury forced him to drop out of the Olympic marathon at Paris 2024 in the first ‘DNF’ of his marathon career.

The Kenyan was dropped in the first half of the race, but pushed on to the 31km before stepping off the course with further physical pain in his waist.

Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola won gold, despite not initially being on the team to participate. He thrived as a late replacement for Sisay Lemma to claim gold and set a new Olympic record on the challenging Paris course in a time of 2:06:26.

Great Britain’s Emile Cairess impressed but narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing just over a minute behind the champion in fourth.

Kipchoge, who was the two-time defending Olympic champion pariticpating in his fifth Olympics, is now 39 years of age.

And his struggles here follows a 10th place in Tokyo, leaving an uncertain future in the sport after failing to complete the distance for the first time in his career.

“I had a pain in my back at about 20km and decided not to finish and try to get out,” he said. “The hills didn’t affect me at all. The pain made me stop."

“I walked for 2km and had more than 300 people on either side of me walking with me. That’s why I don’t have my shirt, the socks, the shoes, the race number.”

Kipchoge accepted his ‘DNF’ was part of the event and “that’s life,” before making a comparison with boxing.

“Today was a tough day at the office. You can train for a very long time but one day, it can happen,” he added.

“It’s like boxing. You can go to a training camp for five months and be knocked out in two seconds. But life will continue.

“This is my worst marathon. I have never done a DNF [did not finish]. That’s life. Like a boxer, I have been knocked down, I have won, I have come second, eighth, 10th, fifth – now I did not finish. That’s life.”

Fans started to question whether Kipchoge will race the distance again, but Kipchoge has not rushed to make any decision, with a rest next to decide what he will do 11 years after switching to the 26.2-mile distance.

“I don’t want to comment on what will happen tomorrow. I want to try to evolve - if I don’t evolve, then I do other things,” he said.

“I don’t know what my future will hold. I will think about it over the next three months. I still want to try to run some marathons.”

Kipchoge could be seen gifting fans his shoes and vest after stepping off the course, while he also knocked back pleas from his fellow runners to push through the pain.

“The other runners were telling me to push on,” Kipchoge revealed. “But I was telling them, 'No, I have pain, I can’t'. I could feel the love and respect from them.”

Kipchoge could be seen at the finish line, following a lift from officials, with fans flocking to greet the legendary Kenyan.

Kipchoge then gifted his vest to a young supporter before attending to his media duties.

What to expect at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympics has been under major scrutiny by the public–but mostly by the LA28 Olympic Committee. Los Angeles, the next host of the summer Olympic Games, is set on providing the safest and the greatest experience for the athletes–and has been taking notes on what has and hasn’t worked in Paris.

An LA28 sculpture has already taken residence on Long Beach, Calif., where Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Billie Eilish all performed for the closing ceremonies, celebrating the handover of the Olympic flag that was promptly flown in from Paris.

Transportation

The city of Los Angeles plans to host a no-car, no-build Games. Athletes and tourists will have to rely on public transportation to get between competition venues and the Athletes’ Village. The city will borrow 3,000 buses from around the country, in addition to encouraging businesses to stagger work hours and allow working from home to reduce traffic on the roads.

Venues

Athletes will be housed in the dorms on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, rather than having the city build an Olympic Village. The city has infrastructure in place from the previous Olympic Games hosted in 1932 and 1984; no new permanent venues will be needed.

Without having to deal with contaminated bodies of water such as the River Seine, the open-water swimming events should run smoothly; they are to take place at the Long Beach waterfront.

New sports

Five sports will be added to the Olympic program in L.A.; lacrosse, cricket, squash, flag football and baseball/softball are all representative of American culture and will make an exciting new part of the Games. Breaking has been dropped from the Olympic program after making its debut in Paris (a decision that was made before the Games even took place). It did end up getting a lot of attention, but for the wrong reasons.

The L.A. 2028 Games begin on July 14, 2028–we still have 1,432 days to go, but the countdown has already begun.

Should you run 42.2 kilometers in marathon training?

For distances shorter than the marathon, “over-distance” training is effective, and in the past, runners would typically run even the marathon distance in preparation for a marathon race. Running 42 kilometers takes quite a toll on your body; professional marathoners typically only race two or three marathons in a year, and take at least two very easy weeks to properly recover afterward. So if endurance runners typically run farther than race distance to build stamina and make their 5K, 10K, or half-marathon feel easier, should your weekly long run be over 42.2 km when training for the full marathon?

Marathon training plans are all pretty similar when it comes to the long run: it should definitely be less than a marathon in distance. Studies have shown weekly long runs of 75-165 minutes in length to be effective, while others go by volume, suggesting building the run up to 32 kilometers. Building mileage is a slow process, and should be done in 10 per cent increments between weeks.

What about those last 10 kilometers on race day? A combination of adrenaline, motivation, and tapering in the weeks leading up to your competition will carry you to the finish line. Research shows that competition improves endurance performance physiologically and psychologically, meaning your muscles can handle more fatigue while racing.

Running slower than your race pace during your longest run is also key for facilitating recovery. Since ramping up intensity and mileage at the same time is much harder on your body, it’s recommended to focus on speed during other workouts throughout the week. The ideal training for all distance runners can be broken down into a long run, two or three interval sessions and two or three low-intensity days. Overall, 80 per cent of your total volume should be completed at a low intensity.

Keep in mind that if you are approaching marathon distance at target race pace during your long run, you are essentially racing a marathon on a weekly basis. In an ideal world, this would make you get better, but the recovery cost means your training will be compromised.

Studies suggest completing long runs at a pace that is 30-60 seconds slower per kilometer than your marathon race pace. For beginners, this is a comfortable pace that still allows you to hold a conversation. These steady runs provide a foundation for building endurance, allowing you to improve your aerobic capacity and progress your pace over time. On workout days with lower volume, you can increase intensity by incorporating faster intervals or by progressing a medium-long run to end at your goal marathon or even half-marathon pace.

If you put in the work during training, your body will be capable of the most incredible things on race day. 

Olympic marathon headbands create buzz in Paris

You may have noticed that a number of elite athletes in the weekend’s Olympic marathons, including former Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and bronze medallist Hellen Obiri, were sporting unusual headbands that look almost like miniature solar panels. In fact, they were taking advantage of some “cool” new wearable tech for athletes exercising in hot weather. 

The headbands are made by the company Omius, and comes in various configurations (there is also a cap and a visor) and two colours, but all feature the 20 squares of graphite that provide the cooling. 

The graphite pieces contact the skin directly and are held in place by a silicon grid. They function by absorbing  sweat, and their irregular surfaces greatly increase the amount of surface area subject to sweat evaporation, which speeds cooling. (Evaporation of sweat is the body’s mechanism for cooling it down.) The headband weighs only 50 grams (a little more than an ounce and a half), and require no freezing or charging. The cooling pieces continue to provide cooling as long as needed, as long as they stay moist and are subject to airflow (either outdoors, or from a fan if using indoors). The pieces are reusable.

The Omius website warns that the cooling pieces are fragile and should be washed, handled and stored with care. (It suggests treating them like an expensive pair of sunglasses.)

They are also not cheap. The headband will set you back CDN $277.50; a cap incorporating the tech is $291.38, and a set of cooling pieces on its own is $124.08. Yes, they ship internationally, and no doubt they will be swamped with orders since the weekend.

Billy Mills really enjoyed every minute of the Olympics in Paris

The Games are over! What a memorable experience. The local people were so great! lots of smiles and lots of help! We ran into many friends from the USA and around the world. Thank you all for taking the trip with us! Enjoyed all your comments and reading about your experiences at Olympic Games! Love you all! Billy Mills

About Billy Mills: (born June 30, 1938), also known by his Oglala Lakota name Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla, is an American Oglala Lakota former track and field athlete who won a gold medal in the 10,000 metre run (6.2 mi) at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

His 1964 victory is considered one of the greatest Olympic upsets because he was a virtual unknown going into the event.

He was the first non-European to win the Olympic event and remains the only winner from the Americas.[3] A United States Marine, Mills is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

What next for Kenya after Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The curtains for the 2024 Paris Olympics fell on Sunday night with Kenya ranking 17th in the world after winning 11 medals.

Despite Kenya topping the African continent with 4 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze medals, the results left a lot to be desired.

From 83 athletes competing in seven disciplines, a significant impact was expected from the Kenyan athletes and the world.

The show started with Judoka Zeddy Cherop falling 10-0 to Portugal’s Patricia Sampao in a record 22 seconds while Fencing African champion Alexandra Ndolo crushed out 13-12 to Ukranian Olena Kryvytska in her debut.

Maria Brunlehner and Ridhwan Mohamed finished 3rd and 4th in the women’s 50m freestyle and Men’s 400m freestyle heats respectively to crush out of contention for a swimming medal.

The sevens rugby team also crushed out in the group stage, after going down to Australia, Argentina and Samoa.

The women’s volleyball team booked their next flight after failing to win a single set following three identical 3-0 losses in a tough group B pool comprising Brazil, Poland and Japan.

Paris, the City of Love, had very little affection for Kenya as former world champion Julius Yego, finished a distant 5th in the javelin final with a 87.72m throw, to also bite the dust.

Africa's fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala's 100m Olympic medal dream was shattered in the semi-finals after clocking 10.08 seconds to finish 8th.

However, Kenya redeemed herself with debutant Beatrice Chebet grabbing double gold in the 5000m and 10000m women’s races.

The best performer was followed closely by Faith Kipyegon who defended her 1500m gold and added the 5000m women’s silver.

Another debutant, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, grabbed the 800m gold, while Ronald Kwemoi struck the men’s 5000m silver.

Mary Moraa, the dancing queen, grabbed the 800m bronze, same as Faith Cherotich (3000m steeplechase) and Abraham Kibiwot (3000m steeplechase).

Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto rounded up the bronze tally in the men's and women's marathons.  

Obiri failed in her quest for an Olympic medal having won silver in the women's 5000m in Tokyo, 2020 and Rio 2016 games.

History Making

Kenya will however keep pride in making history after Faith Kipyegon became the first woman to complete an Olympic hat trick after breaking her 1500m record in 3:51.29, before a fully packed iconic Stade de France. 

Debutant Beatrice Chebet was the best performer entering the history books by winning a double gold in the women's 5000m and 10000m.

The feat makes Chebet the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic 10000m gold for Kenya since the race was introduced in the 1988 Olympics.

She is the third woman after Tirunesh Dibaba and Sifan Hassan to win the 5000m and 10000m double at the Olympic Games.

"I'm dedicating this medal to all Kenyans. I just want to hear my country is proud. This was for you, you were in my mind and heart in every lap; I might have made history but I will sleep better knowing Wananchi wataenjoy the weekend," she said.

Kenya’s legend Eliud Kipchoge failed to complete an Olympic marathon treble after dropping out of the race at the 20km mark.

Kipchoge later confirmed he won’t be running in the Los Angeles 2028 summer games.

“I felt a sharp pain in the stomach and I couldn’t continue. I'm disappointed that for the first time in my career, I failed to finish a race .” Kipchoge said.

Lady luck also smiled on Kenya after Kipyegon's 5000m silver medal was reinstated following an appeal, after a push and shove with Ethiopian nemesis, Gudaf Tsegay, had her initially disqualified.

In the 800m final, Canada appealed against Kenyan winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi's personal best of 1:41.91 in the 800m, claiming he obstructed silver medallist Marco Arop. Kenya won the appeal.

Tokyo 2020

Despite the dismal show in Paris, Kenya had bettered the 2020 Tokyo tally of 10 medals and a 19th spot finish.

The post-Covid games had challenges but Kenya grabbed four gold, four silvers and two bronze medals.

Emmanuel Korir (800m), Faith Kipyegon (1500m), Peres Jepchirhir (marathon), and Eliud Kipchoge (marathon) were the gold medalists while Hellen Obiri (5000m), Fergussin Rotich (800m), Brigid Kosgei (marathon) and Timothy Cheruiyot (1500m) won silver.

Benjamin Kigen and Hyvin Kiyeng won the men's and women's 3000m steeplechase races respectively.

Rio 2016 

In the 2016 Rio De Janeiro games, Kenya managed six gold, six silver and one bronze medal for a tally of 13 medals. 

Rio 2016 Olympics gold medalists were Jemima Sumgong in women's marathon, David Rudisha in 800m, Faith Kipyegon in 1500m, Conseslus Kipruto in 3000m steeplechase, Vivian Ceruiyot in 5000m and Eliud Kipchoge marathon.

Meanwhile, Vivian Cheruiyot (10000m); Paul Tanui (10000m); Hyvin Kiyeng (3000m steeplechase); Boniface Mucheru (400m hurdles); and Hellen Obiri (5000m) all grabbed silver, while Julius Yego managed a rare javelin silver. Margaret Wambui won bronze in women's 800m.

London 2012  

The London 2012 Summer Games saw Kenya manage 2 gold, 4 silver and 7 bronze for a total of 13 medals.

Despite a cold and warm performance in the Queens land, Kenya won two gold medals to finish a distant 29th in the world rankings.

Legendary track masters Ezekiel Kemboi and David Rudisha grabbed gold in the men's 3000m and 800m races respectively.

Sally Kipyegon brought home the women's 10000m silver, while Priscah Jeptoo won the women's marathon silver medal as Vivian Cheruiyot grabbed the women's 5000m race.

Abel Kirui rounded up the silver medals haul after clinching the men’s marathon race.

Vivian Cheruiyot won bronze in the 10000m women's race, while Asbel Kiprop and Milcah Chemos clinched bronze in the men's and women’s 3000m steeplechase.

Timothy Kiptum and Pamela Jelimo clinched the men's and women's 800m race respectively while Thomas Longosiwa and Wilson Kipsang rounded off Kenya's bronze medals haul, winning the 5000m men's and women's marathon races.

What next?

As the nation awaits the Paris 2024 Games report on what worked and what didn't work, a lot will be looked into including preparations, sports science, lack of stadia and lack of funds among others.

However, one constant reminder is that Kenya must smell the coffee, lest our legacy is discarded by the improving rival nations every day.

The next Omanyala, Yego, Obiri and Kipchoge should be nurtured immediately if we are to remain world beaters in the summer games.

Beating the 2008 Beijing Summer Games remains the target, where Kenya sent a total of 46 athletes: 28 men and 18 women who brought home the best tally of six gold, four silver and six bronze medals.

The journey to the Los Angeles 2028 games starts with a new sheriff in town, CS Kipchumba Murkomen, at the helm of the Sports ministry.

Four ways to run like Sifan Hassan

On Sunday, Dutch distance star Sifan Hassan won the Paris Olympic marathon in her usual thrilling style, setting a new Olympic record only days after capturing bronze in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events. Hassan has created a name synonymous with excellence in distance running, and all athletes can incorporate some of her extraordinary qualities into their training, regardless of distance goals or ability.

Hassan’s race victories constantly demonstrate unparalleled versatility, mental resilience and a powerful finishing kick. She made history by winning the London Marathon on her debut, and her trifecta of medals in Paris showcased her fearless approach to trying new challenges. Here’s how you can channel Hassan in your own training.

1.- Dominate the finish

Hassan’s ability to close races from behind is legendary. No matter the race distance, she consistently outkicks her rivals when it matters most. To build your own finishing power, incorporate some strides or accelerations at the end of your easy runs. Adding just a tiny amount of speed reminds your legs how to move quickly even when fatigued, and helps you develop the strength to finish strong like Hassan.

2.- Be brave and try new things

One of Hassan’s most admirable traits is her courage to step out of her comfort zone, as seen in her marathon debut and distance triple in Paris. She is open about facing self-doubt and fear, but she still lines up and gives each race her all. This willingness to try new things, even if they frighten her, has been key to her success and growth as an athlete. To channel this mindset, don’t shy away from trying new distances, races or training techniques. Embracing challenges will not only make you a better runner but also build your mental toughness.

3.- Embrace versatility

Hassan’s success across a range of distances, from the track to the roads, is rooted in her versatility. This adaptability was on full display in Paris, and she was able to transition from track races to the marathon distance. Make sure to switch up your training by incorporating a mix of workouts—speed work, tempo runs and longer-distance sessions (with lots of easy runs in between)—to build a versatile skill set that can adapt to any race scenario.

4.-Build that base

Winning the London Marathon on her debut, and pulling off a distance triple in Paris, are testaments to Hassan’s incredible endurance. She’s known for her high-mileage training weeks, which prepare her for everything from the 800 meters to the marathon. Gradually increasing your weekly mileage while allowing for adequate recovery will help you build the stamina necessary to tackle any distance.

Hassan’s combination of speed, endurance, versatility and courage sets her apart in the world of distance running. By incorporating these four strategies into your own training, you can start to emulate the qualities that have made her one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Three track workouts to turbocharge your training

These speed-boosting track workouts are for everyone

Watching track events can be thrilling, but stepping onto the track yourself can be just as rewarding. These three workouts are designed to ease you into the world of track training and offer a mix of challenge and fun. Whether you’re inspired by elite athletes or looking for a way to boost speed and power, track workouts are accessible even to beginners.

1.- 400m repeats

This workout improves cardiovascular endurance by gradually increasing your ability to maintain a consistent pace over time.

Warm up with 5-10 minutes of easy running.

Run one lap (400 meters) at a steady, medium-hard pace (you should be able to sustain the pace for the entire interval, but aren’t able to carry on a conversation), followed by a 2-minute walk or easy jog.

Repeat 4 times; increase the number of intervals as you get stronger.

Cool down with 5 minutes of easy running.

2.- Track pyramid

This workout builds both speed and endurance, while helping your body adapt to different running intensities.

Warm up with 5-10 minutes of easy running.

Start with a 100-meter sprint, and walk back to the start. Follow this with a 200-meter run, and walk back to the start. Finish going up the pyramid with a 400-meter run, and walk back.

Now work your way back down the pyramid by repeating the 200-meter and 100-meter sprints.

Cool down with 5-10 minutes of easy running.

3.- Snappy strides

Strides are a great addition to the end of any easy run, and can be done as a stand-alone workout to enhance speed and form.

Warm up with 5-10 minutes of very easy running (if you’re adding these to the end of a workout, skip the warmup).

Run 100 meters at about 80 per cent of your maximum effort, then walk back to the start. Repeat 6 times; add repeats as you gain strength.

Cool down with 5-10 minutes of easy running.

Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with what your medium-hard or  maximum effort feels like—an approximate effort will work.

Athletes with the most track gold medals in the history of Olympics

Here are the athletes with the most gold medals at the Olympic athletic games

The track and field events continue to capture the imagination of sports fans around the world, at the Olympics in Paris.

While the current athletes compete for glory, it's worth reflecting on the legends who have set the bar exceptionally high in Olympic athletics.

Here’s a look at the athletes with the most gold medals in Olympic track and field history, showcasing their unparalleled achievements and enduring legacies.

1. Paavo Nurmi (Finland)- 9 Gold medals

Paavo Nurmi, known as "The Phantom Finn," is celebrated for his extraordinary achievements in middle and long-distance running during the 1920s.

Competing in the 1920, 1924, and 1928 Olympics, Nurmi amassed an impressive 12 Olympic medals, including a record nine golds. His incredible versatility was highlighted by his ability to dominate distances ranging from the 1500m to the 20km.

At the 1924 Paris Olympics, Nurmi won a record five gold medals, a feat that remains unmatched to this day.

His career is also marked by his remarkable achievement of setting 22 official world records across various distances.

2. Carl Lewis (U

SA)- 9 Gold medals

American sprinter Carl Lewis is another iconic figure in Olympic athletics, renowned for his dominance in both sprint events and the long jump.

Lewis’s Olympic career spanned from 1984 to 1996, during which he earned a total of 10 medals, including nine golds.

In his debut at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Lewis matched the achievements of Jesse Owens by winning gold in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and long jump.

His subsequent victories across the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Games solidified his reputation as one of the greatest track and field athletes of all time.

3. Allyson Felix(USA) - 7 Gold medals

Allyson Felix stands as the most decorated female athlete in Olympic track and field history.

Her career, spanning five consecutive Olympics from 2004 to 2020, has seen her win a total of 11 medals.

Felix’s seven gold medals highlight her versatility and dominance in both the individual and relay events.

Felix’s remarkable achievements include gold medals in the 200m and 4x400m relays at the 2012 London Olympics, as well as two more golds in Rio 2016.

Her career continued to shine with additional medals in Tokyo 2020, proving her enduring excellence on the track.

4. Usain Bolt (Jamaica)- 8 Gold medals

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is often hailed as the fastest man in history, and his Olympic success only cements this status.

Bolt’s career is highlighted by his three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events at the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, and 2016 Rio Games.

Bolt’s unprecedented triple-double achievements and world records in these events have set a benchmark in the sport.

His flair, speed, and charismatic performances have made him a global icon in athletics.

5. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica)- 3 Gold medals

Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is another prominent name in Olympic athletics.

Known for her explosive starts and exceptional speed, Fraser-Pryce has won three gold medals in the 100m across the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, and 2024 Paris Olympics.

Her ability to consistently perform at the highest level across four Olympics showcases her remarkable career.

These legendary athletes have not only achieved remarkable success but have also set records that continue to inspire future generations of track and field competitors.

From Paavo Nurmi’s unmatched versatility to Usain Bolt’s record-breaking sprints, their contributions to the sport have shaped the history of the Olympics and continue to captivate the world.

Sifan Hassan caps remarkable Olympics with women’s marathon gold by 3seconds after winning two medals days earlier

Sifan Hassan and Tigst Assefa moved towards the final corner of the breathless, frenetic women’s marathon shoulder‑to‑shoulder as they fought desperately for one of the last gold medals of the Paris Olympics. Under normal circumstances, Hassan’s supreme footspeed would almost always outstrip marathon specialists, but this was remarkably her 62nd kilometre of the Games after 10 days of racing. Anything was possible.

Only Hassan is crazy enough to attempt a ridiculous treble of 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon, but she is also the only athlete talented and versatile enough to succeed in all three. In the final metres, the Dutchwoman pulled away from Assefa, after a dramatic coming together, to win her first marathon gold medal with a blistering Olympic record of 2hr 22min 55sec. Assefa of Ethiopia, the world record holder, finished 3sec behind Hassan in second place while Kenya’s Hellen Obiri took the bronze.

“Can you imagine for two hours, just focusing on every step? I have never focused like I focused today,” said Hassan, who had to survive an appeal from the runner-up. “I’m Olympic champion and what can I say? Marathon; I’ve been Olympic champion [in other events] but it’s something else.”

Having already built up one of the most extraordinary track and field careers of all time, this is surely Hassan’s crowning achievement. The 31-year-old has won three medals at the Paris Olympics, her marathon gold complemented by bronzes in the 5,000m and 10,000m. The last athlete to win medals in all three events in one Olympics was the Czech Emil Zatopek in 1952. She is also the first woman to win Olympic gold in 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon competitions, having won the first two in Tokyo. She is a six-time Olympic medallist overall.

Nine days earlier, Hassan’s Olympics began in the women’s 5,000m heats on Friday 2 August before she won bronze in the rapid, hectic final last Monday. The women’s 10,000m final followed four days later on Friday, Hassan also finishing with an excellent bronze medal.

Just 35 hours later, Hassan lined up for a legendary Olympic marathon performance. The race came alive at the 28km mark as the runners scaled a painfully steep hill. Hassan struggled badly and a significant 50m gap opened up between her and the leading pack as, with her closing speed in mind, the marathon specialists accelerated up the hill in order to distance themselves. But they just could not get rid of her. As the course flattened, Hassan quickly closed the gap, stalking the leaders from the back of the group.

The formidable final five of Hassan, Assefa, Obiri, Sharon Lokedi and Amane Beriso Shankule remained extremely tight. But as the pace picked up, the group gradually thinned out until only Hassan and Assefa remained. Hassan made her move with about 300m to go, drawing her brilliant speed developed through years of greatness in 1500m races. As she took the inside line and flitted past Assefa, all the Ethiopian could do to try to stop her was put her body in the way and extend an elbow. But Hassan nudged the 27-year-old back and tore past her rival to close out an unforgettable win.

“I have no words for it. When I started this morning, every single moment [in the race] I was regretting that I ran the 5,000m and 10,000m,” Hassan said. “I was telling myself: ‘If I hadn’t done that, I would feel comfortable today.’ From the beginning until the end, I felt every step so hard and I regretted it: ‘What is wrong with me?’ The moment I felt good was at 20km.”

The post-event ceremony was significantly delayed after Ethiopia filed a protest over the incident when Assefa and Hassan crashed into each other towards the end of the race. Their protest was unsurprisingly rejected. Afterwards, Assefa claimed the clash had cost her the gold.

Hassan, who was born in Ethiopia before becoming a refugee and moving to the Netherlands in 2008 at 15, ran her first marathon only last year, in London. After her first medal in the 5,000m final, Hassan explained that she had chosen such an intense challenge because she is equally crazy and inquisitive: “I’m very curious. Could I podium? Could I even complete [each race]? I’m trying to fight with myself. What can I do after the 10,000m? Am I strong enough to keep the pace?”

As has been the case throughout a career in which she has constantly experimented and pushed her athleticism to its limits, her performance answered every single question affirmatively.

Wow, what an amazing athlete! Maybe the best of the games! 

This 31-Year-Old Runner Is a Mom and an Olympian

Buoyed by her faith, motherhood, and family, Marisa Howard never relinquished her dream of becoming an Olympian

As a young girl, Marisa Howard dreamed about becoming an Olympian one day. But her focus was on another Olympic sport, gymnastics. She had no idea what the 3,000-meter steeplechase even was.

She also had no idea she’d be a mom when the dream actually came true.

Over the last two decades, Marisa, 31, has gone through numerous highs and lows, near-misses, injuries, a lack of sponsor support, and joyful life changes—most notably giving birth to son, Kai, in 2022. But the steeplechaser from Boise, Idaho, never let go of the dream. Relying on her faith, a strong family support system, and the frugal but full life she shares with her husband, Jeff, the dream came true on June 27 with a third-place finish in the steeplechase at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.

After chipping away at her craft for three Olympic cycles,  Marisa ran the race of her life—finishing with a 15-second personal best of 9 minutes and 7.14 seconds—to earn a spot on Team USA.

Her dream of running for Team USA in the Olympics officially materialized on August 4 when she lined up to race in the prelims of the 3,000-meter steeplechase in Paris. She ran with the lead pack in her heat as long as she could, but with two laps to go she slid to seventh and finished in that position in 9:24.78, missing the chance to advance to the August 6 final by two places and about seven seconds.

“I think it just becomes a lot more real when you see people that have been kind of knocking on the door for years and finally break through. It’s like, ‘Wow, we’re human and we can do it.’ Dreams do come true,” Marisa said. “I was six or seven or eight years old when this Olympic dream was born, and I plan on competing until he’s that age, hopefully, to show him what it’s like to do hard things and chase your dreams. I think it’ll be cool in 10 years when I show Kai these videos and be able to tell him, “Look at what Mommy did when you were two.”

In between making the team in late June and arriving in Paris in late July, Marisa’s life returned to normal—as if being a mom with a 2-year-old is ever normal, or at least consistent, on a day-to-day basis. That month included rough bouts of stomach flu for her and her son, the continued day-to-day management of Kai with Jeff, juggling workouts with childcare help from family and friends, reestablishing normal sleep patterns for everyone, and of course, finalizing travel plans to get the family to Paris.

It all came with a humbling reminder of the perspective that has been the bedrock of Marisa’s postpartum revival as an athlete.

“The day after I qualified, we were driving back home to Idaho and we were all tired. Kai was exhausted and screaming in the car, and I told my husband, ‘He doesn’t care that I’m an Olympian, he just wants food and sleep and, really, I’m just mom,’” she said. “It’s humbling—there’s nothing more humbling than taking care of your sick baby—and I think as a parent, we’re humbled every single day, and we come up short sometimes despite doing the best we can, but I’m thankful that there’s grace and forgiveness. I think it makes those high moments so much sweeter.”

Marisa is part of a new wave of elite runners that aren’t putting their family plans on hold due to their career, and one of several moms who competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Stephanie Bruce raced the 10,000 meters just nine months postpartum after giving birth to her daughter, Sophia, in September 2023, while Kate Grace ran strong preliminary and semifinal 800-meter races to advance to the final of that event just 15 months after giving birth to son, River, in March 2023.

Elle St. Pierre gave birth to her son, Ivan, at about the same time, and returned to racing six months postpartum, finishing seventh in a speedy 4:24 at the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City. That was just the beginning for St. Pierre, who broke the American indoor record in the mile (4:16.41) in January then won the gold medal in the 3,000 meters at the indoor world championships in Glasgow in March. At the Olympic Trials, Pierre won the 5,000 meters and placed third in the 1500, qualifying for Team USA in both events, even though she declined the Olympic entry for the 5,000.

After Howard gave birth to Kai in late May 2022, she began doing pelvic floor therapy along with general strength training and some easy jogging. By the time she started running in earnest that fall, she was surprised at how quickly her aerobic fitness came back to her.

“What’s really surprised me is that I’m able to run paces that I never hit before pregnancy with the same amount or less effort,” she says. “My aerobic engine has just gotten so strong. You do see women come back stronger, but it’s a wide range of how long it takes them to come back. ”

When she returned to the track, she was aiming for a top-three finish at the 2023 U.S. championships to qualify for the world championships in Budapest. She made it to the final and was in third place with two laps to go, but just didn’t have the closing speed. However, she did get the Olympic Trials standard by clocking a near-PR of 9:22.73, demonstrating she was just as fast as her pre-pregnancy self despite limited training and two years away from racing.

By late 2023 and early 2024, Pat McCurry, Marisa’s coach since college, was able to add more volume and intensity to her training, setting up what he thought would be her best season yet. And while Marisa admittedly didn’t race as well as hoped in her races before the Olympic Trials, McCurry knew she was capable of great things.

“She was on a different level once we got back to that base fitness post-pregnancy, and I think that’s what’s paid off in massive fitness dividends,” said McCurry, who has coached Marisa on Idaho Afoot training group since 2015. “The racing didn’t look amazing from the outside. The training was spectacular. We were doing things in training since January that we’ve never done before—just the level of intensity and volume we were sustaining was stellar.”

Marisa picked up running at Pasco High School in Washington, and carried on with the dream at Boise State University. There, she also met Jeff Howard, a Boise State runner who held the school record in the 10,000 meters. But more important than their common athletic passion, they shared the same Christian values that were the foundation of her life. They married in the summer of 2013 just after he graduated. He eventually took a job as a high school teacher at a nearby school, while she blossomed into a three-time NCAA Division I All-American for the Broncos, notching a runner-up finish at the 2014 NCAA championships and fourth-place finish the following year as a senior.

After she graduated, she picked up a small sponsorship deal with women’s apparel brand Oiselle and set her sights on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials . She got injured and missed the trials that year. But Howard and her husband bought a house in Boise and started their family life in earnest. That added stability, along with the guidance of McCurry, who she began working with in 2016, allowed her to dig deeper into training and continue to make progress in the steeplechase, lowering her personal best to 9:30.92 at a race in Lapinlahti, Finland.

The Oiselle sponsorship evaporated after about three years but that didn’t seem to matter. She and Jeff were living frugally and loving life, especially because, by then, most of their family had moved to Boise. Marisa had two aunts who had lived in the area before she went to college, and Jeff’s parents moved to town shortly after they were married. Marisa’s parents, and later her best friend, Marianne Green, also picked up their roots and relocated to town.

The ensuing years brought a variety of highs and lows—several near-miss fifth place finishes at U.S. championships, a silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games, a few injuries that delayed her progress, a  breakthrough eight-second PR in the semifinals of the 2020 Olympic Trials, and, of course, welcoming Kai into the world in 2022.

What makes Marisa’s situation especially challenging is that she’s run competitively without a traditional sponsor since 2017, more or less collectively bootstrapping the dream on her husband’s high school teacher’s salary and working part-time as a schol nurse and as a coach. (She will officially join the Boise State staff as an assistant coach after the Olympics.) She often stays with friends when she travels to races and says she’s grateful to the meet directors who have flown her out to race, put her up in hotels, and also paid her to pace races.

She also earned USATF Foundation grants and in 2022 was the recipient of a $10,000 grant to offset child care expenses from a program sprinting legend Allyson Felix organized through Athleta’s Power of She Fund and the Women’s Sports Foundation. Marisa competed at the 2024 Olympic Trials as part of the Tracksmith Amateur Support Program, which provides a small quarterly stipend, running apparel, and shoes to about 40 athletes in all disciplines of track and field.

“We’ve found ways to make it work. We drive used cars, and we refinanced in 2020, so thankfully our mortgage is very low,” she says. “So really a lot of my expenses are just shoes, a little bit of travel, coaching fees, gym fees, and things like that. But it does add up. But thankfully we live well within our means and are able to do it. As I’ve said before, the Lord always provides.”

But even with that support and her continued progress, Marisa entered the Olympic Trials as a dark horse contender to make Team USA. And that’s despite knowing that Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs, the top stars of the event for the past 10 years, were sidelined with injuries. She hadn’t run great in her races leading up to the trials, and her confidence was waning, McCurry says.

“I felt like not having a full contract [from a shoe sponsorship] had kind of eroded away at some of her confidence, and she was starting to have a little bit of imposter syndrome at races,” says McCurry. “We just had a really firm talk where I was like, damn it, you’re better than this,” he says. “Not we, not the training, you, Marissa Howard, are better than this.”

That pep talk was just what she needed. It helped remind Marisa about her bigger purpose, just as much as packing diapers, toys, and pajamas for Kai did before she and Jeff made the eight-hour drive to Eugene for the Olympic Trials.

In her semi-final heat at the trials on June 24, Marisa ran aggressively and finished second behind Gabbi Jennings in 9:26.38. After the race, she said she was looking forward to the final, but, for the moment, was most interested in making sure Kai got to bed on time.

Running with purpose and caring for her son emboldened her for the final, where she ran with conviction among the top five before moving into the lead briefly with a lap to go. In what was a thrilling final lap, Val Constien retook the lead and sprinted to victory down the homestretch in an Olympic Trials-record 9:03.22, followed by a surging Courtney Wayment (9:06.50) and a determined Marisa (9:07.14) as the top nine finishers all set new personal bests.

“My husband and I talk about competitive greatness: You want to rise to the occasion when everyone else is at their best. So it’s like, gosh, I was able to do it! I think a lot of it for me has always been about having my priorities in place. I’m a Christian first, and then a wife, and then a mom, and then a runner. And I think if I keep those in that line, that’s where I see success,” Marisa says.

“I’ve sat next to gold medalists and other high-level athletes in chapels before U.S. championship races and they’ve told me, ‘I’ve won that gold medal and it doesn’t fill that void in my heart.’ And just knowing that a medal or success isn’t going to change you, ultimately, you have to be secure in who you are. So just remembering where my priorities lie helps to kind of keep me grounded.”

This Off-the-Court Oasis Gives These Olympic Athletes an Edge

Just when we thought the Olympic Village was cool, we took a five-minute walk from Stade de France to this oasis for Nike athletes to refuel, relax, and recover

Leo Neugebauer had a grueling schedule at the Paris Olympic Games. As a decathlete, the German multisport athlete , who was a three-time NCAA champion for the University of Texas, competed in the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meters, 110-meter hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and 1500 meters over the course of just two days.

But as a Nike athlete, Neugebauer also had a leg up on the competition.

Just a five-minute drive from Stade de France you’ll find the Nike Athlete House. Walk in, past two towering orange statues of Lebron James and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and guests are instantly transported into a luxurious, two-floor oasis, complete with swoosh-laden rugs and plush furniture, bright lighting and calm tones reminiscent of your favorite spa, and everything an athlete could need to look and perform their best.

At least that’s the goal, says Tanya Hvizdak, Vice President of Global Women’s Sports Marketing at Nike. Complete with everything from specialty stations for barber, nail, makeup, and tooth gem appointments, to physical therapy and recovery services, plus spaces to unwind with family, and even a nursery—the hospitality locale is on a whole new level from any other Olympic activation the brand has done before.

“What we provide has certainly evolved from this mode of sponsorship to partnership,” Hvizdak says, noting that some athletes stop by the house more than once a day. “We’re listening to the voice of the athlete around what their expectations are and what their needs are.”

“It’s kind of a sanctuary,” adds Tobie Hatfield, Senior Director of Athlete Innovation at Nike. “We want this to be the place where athletes come to get ready for their competition.”

Just Doing It

Nike’s not the only brand to go to great lengths to make their athletes comfortable. Varying in size and offerings, other major players including Puma, Asics, On, New Balance, and Oakley have full-service locations dedicated to their athletes, plus their entourages. Where Nike comes out on top, though, is their proximity to the competition.

Set in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis, about a mile and a half north of city limits and five miles north of the Louvre, Stade de France sits quite a ways away from much of the Olympic action at the heart of the city. The Athlete Village is relatively close by, but still a 15- to 20-minute bus ride—assuming bus drivers don’t take any wrong turns, as they’ve been reported to do as athletes stand for up to an hour on cramped buses during the Games.

Relaxing pre-race and recovering immediately after are critical to success on the world stage, something Nike officials readily understand.

“The planning of this space began over three years ago when we were looking at the city, having an understanding of where things like the Athlete Village and track and field were going to be taking place,” says Hvizdak. “The number one priority for us was being in a location that was going to be in close proximity to the athletes.”

The Royal Treatment

While I wasn’t able to time my trip to the house so that I could sit in the Nike x Hyperice boots and vests next to medalists like Jordan Chiles, Sha’Carri Richardson, or Fred Kerley—all whom shared their trips to the space on social media—it’s certainly getting a lot of foot traffic.

The space also offers catering for breakfast and lunch. With reports that the food and conditions in the Athlete Village leave something to be desired, Nike’s culinary staff took it upon themselves to ensure that they had the food game on lock, including tantalizing yet nutritious options like (on the day I visited) grilled salmon and pepper tartlets, vegetable pie, beef moelleux, and noodle salad.

“Something that was requested shortly after we opened was to-go boxes of food,” says Hvizdak, who adds that the meals are definitely a highlight for the folks who come through. “So, we’re now offering takeaway options. Plus, we even changed the hours to stay open later per the athletes’ request.”

And of course—in the true extravagant nature of the space, what’s a good time without a parting gift? Athletes have the option of shopping through the Jacquemus x Nike collection, other new offerings, and to design a hoodie using a new proprietary AI tool on digital tablets—set to potentially launch in-store at a later date.

Neugebauer walked into the Nike House before his competition just to sniff it out. But he was sold after snagging some of the recovery tools to use during his downtime before his daunting 10-event competition.

“I took the Hyperice boots to my hotel room and used them before, during, and after my decathlon,” he says. “The second time I went through the house, I got to do all the fun stuff like customize my own Nike hoodie, it was amazing. And when I heard they had a barber, I was like oh my god, I got a fresh cut., I looked good. I think that’s important. I looked good, and I did good.”

The royal treatment apparently paid off. On August 3, Neugebauer earned the silver medal.

How Long Does It Take to Run a Mile?

Knowing the average pace can help you set new goals.

The best way to find your average running speed is by tracking your mile pace.

For example, say you go out for a three-mile race. You might start off running fast because of an adrenaline rush, then slow down once you realize you’re running too hard. But toward the end, when the finish is in sight you might catch a second wind and pick up speed again. This all results in different mile times.

Your average mile time, which will be the sum of all your mile times divided by the number of miles completed, may look different than each individual mile. The more you train, not only will your average mile pace drop, but each individual mile time will likely become closer in time to the others.

That’s why tracking your average mile time is a great way to monitor your progress. Plus, when you reach a new barrier—like the first time you run faster than a 10-minute mile, for example—it allows you to search out new goals in your running journey and also scope out your competition.

How long does it take to run a mile on average?

Based on real-life data from all public uploads to Strava from August 1 2022 to July 30 2023, the average mile time across the globe is 10 minutes and 25 seconds (10:25). That number adjusts based on gender: 10:02 for men and 11:17 for women. In the U.S., the average running speed is 9:54 and breaks down to a 9:32 mile pace for U.S. men and 10:37 for U.S. women.

These paces have changed since 2018 when the average global mile pace hit 9:48 and U.S. pace averaged 9:44.

Don’t fret if your current average time is a little off from those marks. Keep in mind that, while sizable, the dedicated Strava community doesn’t represent the entire running community.

What factors affect average running speed?

The following factors play a big role in every runner’s mile speed:

Gender

Age

Weather/wind

Nutrition and hydration

Injuries

Height

Weight

Terrain

The list could go on. Even what you think about or your mindset can affect how fast you run, and that’s under your control. Other factors, however—such as height and age—are things you obviously can’t change.

Also, according to recent number crunching at Runner’s World, based on data from platforms like MapMyRun, even the type of year you’re having has an effect on one’s average mile time and pace. From mid-April to mid-September—during the start and midpoint of the coronavirus pandemic—the average mile pace recorded was 8.5 percent slower compared with the same range in 2019, which the MapMyRun team attributes to a new or returning runner effect.

When it comes to age, one data analysis performed in 2010 and based on 10,000 U.S. runners who completed a 5K showed the average minutes per mile for runners of different ages. The average overall was 11:47 per mile. Men in the 16- to 19-year-old age range finished the run with an average pace of 9:34; women in the same age group finished in 12:09. The numbers gradually increased as the age groups got older.

In most cases, though, the gaps between the finishing times of the different age groups weren’t drastic. And you might not necessarily get slower with age. As Runner’s World has reported, many pro runners and average runners peak in their 30s, and even runners in their 70s can keep getting better with age.

Because of the many variables associated with running pace, it can be difficult to establish an across-the-board average running speed.

How fast should you run a race?

If you’re looking to find out what your average running pace should be to hit a specific time goal in a race, you’re in luck. Our Runner’s World Pace Charts (in both minutes per mile and kilometer) show what time a given pace will produce for six common race distances: 5K, 5 miles, 10K, 10 miles, half marathon, and marathon. As an example in the chart below, if you want to run under 1 hour and 45 minutes for a 10-mile race, you’d need to have an average pace of 10 minutes and 29 seconds per mile to accomplish your goal.

Use our charts as a reference point after you start training so you can know what average pace is necessary (and realistic) for your upcoming goal race.

How can you boost your average running speed?

If you want your average running pace to be faster, there are several steps you can take to improve, like figuring out how to breathe properly and mixing up your types of runs. You should also recognize the importance of nutrition and hydration.

Adopt a holistic approach to your training, doing regular conditioning workouts to improve your strength and flexibility in addition to running, as a stronger, mobile body can help you run faster and avoid injury.

What’s the fastest ever mile speed?

The fastest mile ever recorded was set by Hicham El Guerrouj, a Moroccan runner who ran a mile in 3:43.13 in 1999. Guerrouj was 24 years old at the time.

For women, the fastest mile ever was run by Faith Kipyegon, which she snagged just this month, with a time of 4:07.64.

If you’re looking for the fastest average running paces over the course of 26.2 miles, look no further than the world record holders in the marathon—Eliud Kipchoge (4:37.2 per mile) and Brigid Kosgei (5:06.8 per mile).

And just for fun, if Usain Bolt were to ever keep his jaw-dropping sprint going for a full mile at his peak ability, the Jamaican’s top speed in 2009 during his 9.58 world record 100-meter dash would have put him just over 27 miles per hour.

Carl Lewis sounds off on 'unacceptable' U.S. men's 4×100 relay flub: 'Time to blow up the system'

After the U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team botched a baton handoff that led to their disqualification in Friday’s Olympic final, track and field legend Carl Lewis labeled the performance “completely unacceptable” as he called for an overhaul of the USA Track and Field program.

“It is time to blow up the system,” Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, posted on X on Friday. “This continues to be completely unacceptable. It is clear that EVERYONE at [USA Track and Field] is more concerned with relationships than winning. No athlete should step on the track and run another relay until this program is changed from top to bottom.”U.S. athletes Christian Coleman and teammate Kenny Bednarek collided during the first exchange, which was deemed to have taken place outside the exchange zone and led to the team’s disqualification. The disastrous handoff put the Americans significantly behind, and the team — which also included Kyree King and Fred Kerley — finished seventh before being DQ’d.Canada won gold while South Africa took silver and Great Britain claimed bronze.

The United States, meanwhile, failed to earn a medal in the event for the fifth consecutive Olympics despite entering as the presumed favorites. They were the fastest qualifiers and the U.S. took gold in its last major international meet at the 2023 World Championships.

“Obviously, it’s a little disappointing, especially for America,” Coleman said after the race. “We wanted to bring it home. We knew we had the speed to do it.The United States has not won a medal in the men’s 4×100 relay since 2004, when Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin, Coby Miller and Maurice Greene won silver at the Athens Olympics. Team USA’s last Olympic gold in the event was in 2000 with Jon Drummond, Bernard Williams, Brian Lewis and Greene.

Lewis posted on X ahead of the race suggesting the coaches should be held responsible if the U.S. failed to medal.

“If [Team USA] wins all relays tomorrow, you talk to the athletes,” he wrote on X on Thursday. “If something happens and they do not sweep. ONLY talk to the coaches. Yes, I said it!!!”

The U.S. women, with Sha’Carri Richardson as the anchor, won gold in the 4×100 relay on Friday at Stade de France. It was the United States women’s 12th Olympic gold medal in the event.

SIFAN HASSAN WINS WOMEN’S MARATHON IN NEW OLYMPIC RECORD

Sifan Hassan has raced to victory in a new Olympic record in the Paris 2024 women’s marathon on Sunday 11 August.

The Dutch athlete braved the undulating course that wound through some of the most iconic sights in Paris, finishing the race in 2:22:55.

Hassan raised eyebrows when she announced she would complete the 5000m/10,000m/marathon treble at these Games. However, her brilliant gold in today's marathon, added to the bronze medals she won over the shorter distances, is proof that the 31-year-old is able to overcome the type of sporting challenges others would deem impossible.  She placed third in the 10000m as well.  

Much has also been made about the unique challenges posed by the Paris 2024 marathon course with its steep, gruelling inclines followed by fast downhill sections.

But in front of a cheering crowd that lined the streets of France’s capital, Hassan proved herself strongest, fastest and more determined over the 42.195km race.

Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia won silver (2:22:58) with Kenya’s Hellen Obiri claiming bronze (2:23:10).

FAITH KIPYEGON CLAIMS THIRD WOMEN’S 1500M TITLE IN OLYMPIC RECORD TIME

Faith Kipyegon blazed to victory in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 women’s 1500m, finishing in 3:51.29 to claim a brilliant gold and Olympic record on the final night of track action at the Stade de France. She is the first athlete - male or female - to win gold in the event at three different Games.

“It’s a big, big achievement,” said an elated Kipyegon after her victory. “I was really looking forward to defending my title (from the last two Olympic Games), and I had a dream. It’s amazing to me, I completed it. I’m so, so happy.

“This is history. I managed to make history. I’ve done it. This is an amazing honour, to win the gold medal in the 1500. It was my key target.”

Jessica Hull of Australia won silver in 3:52.56, with Great Britain’s Georgia Bell running the race of her life to take bronze in a national record time of 3:52.61.

“It’s all a bit of a blur,” said bronze medallist Bell. “I think it’ll hit me a little bit later. On the start (line) I really had the feeling that if I just stuck in there I’d be able to do something special, so I’m over the moon to get a medal.”

Kipyegon is the world record holder in the 1500m, having posted a time of 3:49.04 in Paris earlier this year. She came into the race having already won Olympic silver in the 5,000m behind compatriot Beatrice Chebet.

However, over a distance she had made her own, the Kenyan sprinted to the finish line to take her third Olympic title and break the Olympic record she herself had set at Tokyo 2020.

History was made across the entire podium, with the British record falling into the hands of bronze-winning Bell and Hull becoming the first-ever Australian medallist in the event.

But the day belonged to World Athlete of the Year Kipyegon, who has become close to unbeatable over the metric mile and stands victorious once again after a scintillating performance at Paris 2024.

JAKOB INGEBRIGTSEN CAPTURES OLYMPIC GOLD IN THE MEN’S 5,000M

Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen raced  to a maiden Olympic 5,000m gold medal at Paris 2024 on Saturday (10 August).

The double world champion over the distance made up for his hiccup in the 1,500m in the French capital where he finished in fourth place after a dramatic sprint for the line.

Ingebrigsten was in cruise control over the final stretch of the 5,000m, beating nearest rival Ronald Kwemoi of Kenya by nearly two seconds with a time of 13 minutes, 13.66 seconds (13:13.66).

Kwemoi crossed the line second in 13:15.04 with Grant Fisher of the U.S. bagging bronze in 13:15.13.

Ingebrigtsen conceded his Olympic 1,500m earlier in the track and field meeting and lined up in the 5,000m hoping for redemption.

The 23-year-old took a measured approach in the final as he sat back around fifth place at the halfway point.

With 600m to go Ethiopian ace Hagos Gebrhiwet made his move which ultimately brought Ingebrigtsen into the battle.

Gebrhiwet was leading at the bell with Ingebrigtsen going into the final lap in second place and quickly gaining on the Ethiopian.

The Norwegian took the lead for the first time with half a lap to go and turned on the afterburners to race home to add the Olympic gold to his two world titles in the event.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet wins 10,000m gold for historic distance double

Chebet is the first Kenyan athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in a single Games.

After winning the women’s 5,000m gold earlier in the week, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet made history on Friday in the women’s 10,000m, taking gold to compete the Olympic distance double. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti set a national record to win silver in 30:43.35, and fan favourite Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands won her bronze of the Games in 30:44.12.

It’s the first time a Kenyan athlete has won two gold medals on the track in a single Olympics, and the first time a Kenyan has won gold in the women’s 10,000m since its addition to the Olympic program in Seoul 1988.

Chebet, the current world record holder in the 10,000m (28:54.15, set earlier this year) positioned herself near the front of the pack during the first few laps and remained there throughout, with Battocletti in the middle and Hassan running near the back, where she stayed until the final two laps. Chebet is also the 2024 world cross-country champion, a title she also won in 2023.

The group stayed tightly bunched through most of the race, with around a dozen women running closely together into the final laps. Chebet began to pick up the pace at the bell, followed by Battocletti, who finished fourth in the 5,000m final earlier in the week. Battocletti ran a tactically smart race, putting herself in an ideal position to strike in the final stretch.

With 200m to go, Hassan, the defending Olympic champion, who had only begun moving up from the rear in the final two laps of the race, began a push toward the front of the lead group, eventually clinching third place and her second bronze medal of the Paris Olympics. (She won bronze in the 5,000 also.)

Hassan is attempting an ambitious triple, competing in the 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon at these Olympics. She will have one day of rest on Saturday before tackling the women’s marathon on Sunday, the final day of the Games.

Team USA’s Rai Benjamin upsets Warholm for 400m hurdles Olympic gold

The young American fulfilled his dream of Olympic gold on Friday, while Brazil's dos Santos repeated his bronze-medal performance from Tokyo.

The top two finishers from Tokyo 2020 traded podium positions in an electrifying 400m hurdles final at the Stade de France on Friday, as American Rai Benjamin unseated the defending Olympic champion, world champion and world record holder, Karsten Warholm of Norway. Benjamin, the silver medallist from Tokyo, took gold in a season’s best 46.46–well ahead of Warholm’s 47.06, while Alison dos Santos of Brazil repeated his bronze medal performance from Tokyo 2020 in 47.26 seconds.

Warholm, in lane 7, had Benjamin in his sights in lane 8, and gained ground on the American through the first turn, but couldn’t quite make up the stagger. By the home stretch, Benjamin was pulling away, leaving Warholm behind.

Having medalled at the last four major championships in the event, dating back to the 2019 World Championships in Doha, the 26-year-old Benjamin was one of the favourites for gold on Friday; he had the fastest time in the world this year (46.46). Warholm, Benjamin and dos Santos are the three fastest men ever in the 400m hurdles event. Warholm set the world and Olympic record of 45.94 in an empty stadium in Tokyo three years ago.

In May, the hurdler stirred controversy when he stated his intention not to wear a race bib on his uniform at the Olympics. (Race bibs are required to identify athletes as per World Athletics rules; clearly someone must have talked him out of it, since he was most definitely wearing race bibs at these Games; not wearing one would earn him a disqualification.)

Team USA had another standout night on the track, despite a disappointing loss to Team Canada in the men’s 4x100m relay. The American women redeemed the night by taking gold in the women’s 4x100m relay final.

Eliud Kipchoge hints at retirement after 'worst marathon' at Paris Olympics

Eliud Kipchoge has hinted at ending his illustrious marathon career following a major setback at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

Eliud Kipchoge hit the streets of Paris in the men’s marathon hoping to win his third Olympic title on Saturday morning.

However, the script did not go as planned as Kipchoge failed to finish the race. He was off to a great start but conditions worsened and he started trailing.

At some point in the race, the two-time Olympic champion was seen holding his left hip as though in pain but he kept going. It was until the 31km mark that Kipchoge could not continue with the race.

The five-time Berlin Marathon champion stood and waited for the last athlete Ser-Od Bat-Ochir to pass before he officially pulled out of the race.

Following the setback, the four-time London Marathon champion told Olympics.com that the race was his worst marathon. Kipchoge had never recorded a DNF [Did not finish] until Saturday's race.

"This is my worst marathon. I have never done a DNF (did not finish). That’s life. Like a boxer, I have been knocked down, I have won, I have come second, eighth, 10th, fifth – now I did not finish. That’s life,” he said.

Kipchoge started his season on quite a low note, finishing 10th at the Tokyo Marathon won by Benson Kipruto. He hinted at not being mentally okay following threats to his life and that of his family after Kelvin Kiptum’s death.

At the Paris Olympics, Kipchoge was aiming to become the first marathoner to win three Olympic gold medals. He started his winning streak at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games before defending his title at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The marathon legend then hinted at calling time on his illustrious career.

“It is a difficult time for me. You will see me in a different way, maybe giving people motivation, but I will not run," he said.

"I don't know what next. I need to go back [home], sit down, try to figure my 21 years of running at high level. I need to evolve and feature in other things.”

Eliud Kipchoge Drops Out of the 2024 Olympic Marathon

It may be the two-time gold medalist’s final Olympic Games.

In what may be his final Olympic Games, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya dropped out of Saturday’s men’s marathon around the 31K mark. Today’s race was Kipchoge’s chance to be the first man to win the Olympic marathon three times in a career. His other Olympic marathon wins came in the Rio Olympics in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.

“I will be the happiest on earth to win an Olympic medal for the third time, back-to-back-to-back,” Kipchoge said about the race prior to the Games on Olympics.com. “It’s about making history, it’s about inspiring a generation.”

Wearing a cooling headband for what was going to end up being a warm day, the race started relatively cool in the lower 60s on a clear day in Paris. Kipchoge hung with the lead pack for the first 15K until the notoriously challenging Paris Olympic Marathon hills started claiming victims.

After reaching Versailles and turning back to head toward Paris, Kipchoge was more than a minute off the lead pack, not within the top 50 runners. He split 25K to the 30K mark—the segment of the course from Chaville to Meudon with the steepest uphill and downhill—a little over 21 minutes, putting him more than 8 minutes off the lead pack. He was out of contention but gutting it out toward the finish line, buoyed by the Olympic crowd.

Journalist Michelle Katami found Kipchoge after the race, where he described his final few kilometers of the race. “I walked for about 2 kilometers, there were about 300 people walking with me. That’s why I don’t have my shirt, shoes. I gave them all out. Seeing that support is what motivates me.”

Win or not, Kipchoge’s extensive career has earned him G.O.A.T. status in the running world. He’s eclipsed the world record mark twice—both times at the Berlin Marathon—and became the only man ever to run under 2 hours in a non-record eligible marathon attempt in Vienna back in 2019.

For a period, Kipchoge was untouchable at the distance. He won 10 marathons in a row from 2014 to 2019. He finally showed himself as human at the 2020 London Marathon (a race he’s still won four times), when he finished a surprising 8th. He bounced back by winning the marathon in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, then winning both the Tokyo Marathon and Berlin Marathon in 2022.

Some recent marathons have been a step back for Kipchoge. He was 6th overall in his first Boston Marathon in 2023 but returned to form with a Berlin win later that year. Earlier this year Kipchoge placed 10th in the Tokyo Marathon.

He’s openly spoken about the strain he has taken after the tragic passing of the new marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum in a car crash in February 2024. He told the BBC that he was was subjected to online abuse wrongly linking him to Kiptum’s death.

“I was shocked that people (on) social media platforms are saying, ‘Eliud is involved in the death of this boy,’ That was my worst news ever in my life. I received a lot of bad things; that they will burn the (training) camp, they will burn my investments in town, they will burn my house, they will burn my family. It did not happen but that is how the world is. What happened has (made) me not trust anybody. Even my own shadow, I will not trust."

And on the track, he has two other Olympic medals, both in the 5,000 meters, with silver in 2008, and bronze in 2004.

Cameraman walks into 5,000m racers on the track at Paris Olympics

On Wednesday morning, an unexpected participant made an appearance in the second of two first-round heats of the men’s 5,000m. Two thirds of the way through the race, while filming the women’s javelin event, a cameraman equipped with a large camera rig strolled right through the second lane of the track, stopping just short of lane one. He seemed completely oblivious to the 20 men running straight toward him. Two runners, including Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, had to run around him to avoid a collision. Even the men on the inside of lane one could barely squeeze by him.

Ingebrigtsen was unimpressed, appearing to make angry hand gestures after dodging the cameraman. The last thing he needed after missing the 1,500m podium on Tuesday night was a mid-race collision in his 5,000m race. “It’s amateurish,’ Ingebrigtsen told the media. ‘That should not happen in an Olympics.” Luckily, the Norwegian had been playing it safe by hanging on to the back of the pack, giving him enough time to steer clear.

This isn’t the first time an incident like this has occurred at a major championships. At the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Ore., another rogue cameraman got a unique shot during the men’s 3,000m steeplechase–filming from lane two of the straightaway. His back was to the racers; luckily, runners were able to successfully swerve around him, averting a crash.

The incident is characteristic of a chaotic seventh day of athletics in Paris so far. The first heat saw a major collision that took down six athletes, leaving several medal contenders out of the 5,000m final taking place on Saturday, Aug. 10.

Steeplechaser recovering well after horrific fall in Olympic final, coach says

On Thursday, the coach of Tokyo Olympic steeplechase silver medallist and world record holder Lamecha Girma announced on Twitter that the athlete is in good condition after a horrific fall during the men’s 3,000m steeplechase final Wednesday evening.

In a dramatic last lap, Girma tripped while going over the second-last barrier, falling hard and appearing to lose consciousness. He lay motionless on the track as the other runners finished the race. The Ethiopian was then carried off the track on a stretcher and transported to hospital, where he spent the night.

Girma is the world record holder in the event at just 23; he broke the previous record at the 2023 Paris Diamond League, making him one of the favourites heading into the Olympic final. Sadly, it was not to be.

The Elite Running Team announced on Thursday that Girma did not sustain any severe head injuries during the fall, but that he will continue to undergo further scans and examinations before being discharged from the hospital.

Girma’s fall fit right in to the series of disasters occurring at the Stade de France on day seven of athletics. In round one of the men’s 5,000m, viewers and spectators saw six men hit the ground during the first heat. Shortly after, runners in the second heat barely avoid a collision with a wandering cameraman.

“Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali wins back-to-back Olympic men’s steeplechase gold” — Canadian Running Magazine

Paris 2024 organizers have told media they will stay in close contact with the Ethiopian National Olympic Committee for updates on Girma’s condition, and wished him a swift recovery.

2024 Olympic Marathon Paris top 14 men with some surprises

Tola (first photo) not only won the gold medal but set the Olympic Record on a challenging marathon course in Paris.  The course made for the toughest Olympic marathon ever.  Plus the heat and humidity.  Tola's time is amazing as is so many of the other runners.  

A Quick Look at Tamirat Tola Abera the 2024 Marathon Olympic Champion

Tamirat Tola Abera (born 11 August 1991) is an Ethiopian world champion long-distance runner who competes in track, road and cross country events.

He won gold medal in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Tamirat competed in the marathon at the 2017 and 2022 World Athletics Championships, earning silver and gold, respectively, setting a championship record at the latter in the process.

He finished third at both the 2021 Tokyo and 2023 London Marathon and won the 2023 New York City Marathon, breaking the course record.

At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, he won the gold medal in the men's marathon and set a new Olympic record in 2 hours 6 minutes 26 seconds, besting the previous Olympic record of 2 hours 6 minutes 32 seconds.

Ethiopia’s late sub Tola wins marathon in Olympic record in brutal conditions over hugely challenging course

Tamirat Tola, called into the Ethiopian team as a late replacement, won the men’s marathon title in an Olympic record of 2:06:26 in brutal heat and humidity over a course of hugely demanding hills, with Belgium’s Bashir Abdi earning silver in 2:06:47.

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto, fastest in the world this year after winning the Tokyo marathon in 2:02:16, marked his Olympic debut with bronze in 2:07:00 on a day when his 39-year-old compatriot Eliud Kipchoge, seeking a third consecutive title, failed to finish.

Britain’s Emile Cairess, making his Olympic debut, finished in fourth place, clocking 2:07:29 after moving past Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta in the finishing stages, with the latter recording 2:07:31 and finishing a second ahead of Japan’s Akira Akasaki, who set a personal best.

In the circumstances it was scarcely creditable that Tola bettered the Olympic mark of 2:06:32 set at the Beijing 2008 Games by the late Kenyan runner Sammy Wanjiru.

Huge crowds lined the route in the closing stages, and the spectacle concluded amid packed grandstands in front of Les Invalides, its gilded dome glinting in the morning sunshine.

On a day like this, on a course like this, there was something fitting about the race concluding alongside the building constructed in the 17th century as a haven for disabled soldiers. Everyone completing the course today was a warrior.

Tola, the 2022 world champion, thus joins the fabled list of fellow Ethiopians who have won this prized race – Abebe Bikila in 1960 and 1964, Mamo Wolde in 1968 and Gezahegne Abera in 2000 – and added gold to the Olympic 10,000m bronze he won in 2016.

For an Ethiopian team that has not enjoyed its customary success on the track, this was a day of days – and they will have hopes of further success when the athletics programme concludes with the women’s marathon tomorrow.

“I am happy today because I fulfilled my goal,” said Tola, Ethiopia’s first gold medallist of these Games. “I prepared well. I trained hard so I could win. In my life, this is my great achievement.

“I was the reserve in the Ethiopian team, but when Sisay (Lemma) had injuries, then I had a chance to represent him. I was fully prepared and knew I could fulfil my dream. I am happy to do that today.

“This is the Olympics and it is not easy to win the Olympic Games, not at all. I am very proud, very happy.”

Abdi, who has recently recovered from a stress fracture of the hip, commented: "The course was very tough today. I tried not to lose a lot of energy. I tried to run as smartly as possible, so I am very, very happy with this result.

"The weather was hot, (the terrain featured) a lot of ups and downs. Actually, I expected going uphill would be most challenging, but I found going downhill most difficult.

“It was very steep and you don’t have control of your body. That was very scary, especially after 29km, we had almost 2km of running downhill and it was just going more down and down, and I was really afraid of falling.

"This is the hardest marathon course I’ve ever run."

Asked about his return from injury, he added: "It was really a long journey. At the beginning of the year I got a stress fracture, which meant I couldn’t run any races. I came here without any preparation and didn’t know what to expect.

"I told myself before I started, 'OK, you don’t have any race rhythm, but you are fresh, it is your first race of the season, you will be the only guy who is fresh’. That’s what I was repeating to myself during the race."

Kipruto commented: “The course was tough but I’m happy with the result I posted. I trained with the mind first before going to the legs and the heart. Running uphill and downhill was not easy.

“This was the hardest marathon I have run, and a different experience because it was my first Olympic Games."

"I saw Tola pushing but I said, 'no, it’s too early', so I tried to close the gap slowly."

Always in touch with the lead, Tola first took control of the race just after the 20km mark as the field came to the brow of the first long climb, overtaking Italy’s Eyob Faniel, who had pushed ahead by 23 seconds at the 15km mark before the start of the grinding uphill stretch.

The pack, led by Akasaki, Geleta and South Africa’s Elroy Gelant, caught up with him by the 25km mark, which was passed in 1:16:08, but Tola made his decisive move in the hardest part of the course – a brutal, extended climb from 27.5km to 29km involving a 16 per cent incline.

The pack soon became a straggling line as each runner worked out the best way of coping with a challenge so severe that some coaches here had been wondering whether it might be best for their charges to walk this stretch.

Once he got to the brow of the hill, he made the most of it, accelerating away from his labouring rivals and establishing an 11-second lead as he went through 30km in 1:32:12.

Such were the ups and downs of the route that it almost resembled a roller-coaster – but one which guaranteed no one involved had any fun at the fair.

The crucial question at this point was: could Tola, alone, resist the pack that was gradually re-gathering behind him? The answer became gradually and gloriously clear. Tola was never headed thereafter.

At 35km his lead was 18 seconds, at 40km it was 22 seconds. No one was going to stop him.

It was a tribute to Tola’s dedication that he should have been so patently ready to take on this monster of a marathon course at such short notice following the injury to Lemma, who won this year’s Boston Marathon in 2:06:17, having moved to fourth on the world all-time list with his 2:01:48 victory in Valencia last year.

They were huge super-shoes to fill – but Tola did so magnificently.

For Kipchoge it was clear well before the halfway point that he was not going to be challenging for a third consecutive title as he began dropping back, his hand going to his left hip as his face registered discomfort and pain. He dropped out shortly after falling back to 71st position at 30km.

Meanwhile his long-time rival Kenenisa Bekele, returning aged 42 to the Olympic arena where he won three golds and a silver on the track, finished 39th in 2:12:24.

"Around 15km my hamstring felt stretched, so I could not do any more after that,” Bekele said. “Even after 10km I was feeling the strain, so I knew I could not catch up with the leaders."

"It is fantastic that Ethiopia won the race. Tola is very strong, and I am happy for him."

"People have been talking about me and Kipchoge, but you see it was the young generation today. These guys are stronger than us.”

Ethiopian Tamirat Tols wins the Olympic Marathon in Paris

The Ethiopian Tamirat Tols has dominated the streets of Paris this morning, with the Hotel des Invalides glinting in the background he crosses the line in an Olympic record time of 2:06.26 and takes in the adulation with his nation’s flag draped over his slight shoulders. What a run!

Belgium's Bashir Abdi took silver and Kenya's Benson Kipruto took bronze.

The marathon course began outside Paris' city hall, Hotel de Ville, and passed along sights such as Palais Garnier opera house, Place Vendome, the Louvre museum, the Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles. It ended with a scenic home straight in the shadow of the 17th-century hospital Esplanade des Invalides.

The race took on the air of the Tour de France at times, with multiple steep climbs amid a notably hilly course that was billed as one of the most difficult in Olympic history. The first climb took place around the 10-mile mark. A second hill a couple of miles later also had an impact, but it was the hill at the 18-mile mark that proved hardest, with a 13.5% incline at one point.

One of the notable runners who struggled was Kipchoge. He is one of the best marathon runners of all time, but he endured a tough race that even saw him almost a full minute behind the leaders at the halfway stage and reduced to walking up the hill at Mile 18.

He bowed out of the race soon after.

It comes after one of the most difficult years of Kipchoge's career after he suffered significant online abuse following the death of his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum. Kipchoge suffered sleepless nights for some time after, resulting in him finishing in 10th at the Tokyo marathon in March -- his worst-ever result as a professional.

The course did not phase Tola, though. He delivered a dominant display that saw him pull clear before the halfway mark and never let up.

Tola only previous Olympic medal was a bronze in the men's 10,000 metres at Rio 2016. It is also his second major marathon victory after winning last year's New York City marathon.

Chebet strikes a second gold and Kenya's first Olympic women's 10,000m title in Paris

Kenya’s Olympic 5000m champion Beatrice Chebet accomplished her double golden glory by winning the 10,000m at the Paris 2024 Games on Friday (9).

Just four days after striking gold in the 5000m final, Olympic debutant Chebet emerged victorious in the women’s 10,000m in 30:43.25 at the Stade de France.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, who was fourth in the 5000m, finished strong in a national record of 30:43.35 to secure the silver as Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands ran 30:44.12 for bronze – her second medal of that colour in Paris after her third-place finish in the 5000m. 

The feat makes Chebet the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic 10,000m gold and only the third woman after Tirunesh Dibaba and Hassan to win the 5000m and 10,000m double at the Olympic Games.

The 24-year-old also became the first to win 5000m and 10,000m Olympic titles in addition to the world cross country title and the 10,000m world record. 

Chebet, who shattered the world 10,000m record in May’s Prefontaine Classic, was no doubt the centre of focus in the final. She did the sign of a cross before taking off as part of a field that featured defending champion Hassan, 5000m world record-holder Gudaf Tsegay and Battocletti.

The rain had stopped and the sun was shining bright when the women took off in the 10,000m on a somewhat wet track.

Rahel Daniel of Eritrea had an early leading role with Battocletti behind her, taking the field through 1000m in 3:12. The main cast included Chebet and Tsegay tucked in the middle of the pack, while Hassan stayed behind.

The race was tactical and Daniel was in the lead until she dropped out of the competition and Rino Goshima of Japan took over, leading the pack through 3000m in 9:26.94 and 4000m in 12:38.12. Chebet had moved up to third position, and throughout the whole race she had no interest in going in front. 

Thirteen athletes were still bunched together with eight laps remaining. This time it was Ethiopian Tsigie Gebreselama’s turn to lead, taking them through 7000m in 21:15.65. The pack had Chebet, Margaret Kipkemboi, Lilian Kasait Rengeruk, Fotyen Tesfay, Tsegay, Sarah Chelangat and Battocletti. 

With two laps to go, Kenya’s Kipkemboi pushed the pace and just before the bell it was an East Africa contest. Kipkemboi stepped on the gas again after the bell, with Rengeruk on her shoulder. Their intention – to drop the rest, a move that made Chebet and Battocletti immediately respond. Hassan also covered the move.

With 200 metres to go, Chebet – who had run a very tactical race – overtook Kipkemboi, with Battocletti hot on her heels. But Chebet’s strong kick was enough to earn the 10,000m gold medal in 30:43.25, the slowest winning time since the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Battocletti crossed the line a tenth of a second after Chebet, taking home a silver medal and a national record of 30:43.35. 

Hassan's triple quest in Paris amounted to a second podium finish, as she came home third in 30:44.12. She will next compete in the marathon on Sunday. 

“I’m so happy," said Chebet. "To do the 5000m and 10,000m is not something easy. But just focus, and know that you can achieve. Just believe in yourself.

"I believed that I could do it. I just wanted to win the 10,000m for my country. My country has never won a gold medal (in the women’s 10,000m). So I said I wanted to be the first."

Noah Lyles bows out of Paris Olympic Games due to COVID-19

Lyles revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19 two days before the men's 200m final.

Noah Lyles’s dream of winning four gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games is over. After sprinting to a bronze medal in the men’s 200m final on Thursday night, Lyles revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 just two days prior. As a result, he has decided to end his Olympic Games early and will not compete for Team USA in the relay events.

During the 200m final, Lyles burst out of the call room with energy, taunting his competitors. However, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana dashed his hopes of an Olympic sprint double by setting an African area record of 19.46 seconds to win gold. Kenny Bednarek from Team USA took silver in 19.62 seconds, while Lyles settled for bronze, marking his second consecutive Olympic bronze in this event with a time of 19.70 seconds.

Last Sunday, Lyles had won gold in the men’s 100m in 9.79 seconds. However, four days later, he revealed that he felt winded after the 200m final, collapsing and gesturing for water before leaving the track in a wheelchair. Lyles explained that he woke up feeling terrible at 5 a.m. on Tuesday and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. Despite contracting the virus, he remained determined to compete in the final.

Lyles told reporters he had spent the last two days trying to stay hydrated and quarantined in his room.

In a post-race Instagram message, Lyles congratulated Tebogo and Bednarek, acknowledging that this was not the Olympic experience he had envisioned. He came to Paris hoping to become the first men’s sprinter to win four Olympic golds (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay). Unfortunately, Lyles will miss the 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals, leaving Team USA without its fastest sprinter. Lyles concluded the post by saying that he believes the team can still win gold without him

French newspaper Le Monde reported last month that there are no mandatory, preventative COVID-19 measures being implemented at the Summer Games.

How to go from your couch to a 5K

Getting off the couch is the hardest part of running

Getting off your couch and out the door is the hardest part of running. The steps from there might seem overwhelming, especially if you’re running for the first time, but if you focus on taking things slowly and listening to your body, it’ll be easier than you think. Don’t hold yourself back just because it feels tough at first–set that 5K goal and work toward it, even if it means you start by walking. Here’s the best way to get into running to make it enjoyable, safe and rewarding.

Start short and easy

Warm up with a five-minute walk before starting your walk/run–one minute of running, then one minute of walking. Aim to repeat this cycle 10 times. Walk a five-minute cooldown, bringing your entire workout to 30 minutes. Try this three times a week (with at least one day off between runs), keeping it at a conversational pace; take breaks or walk for longer when you need to.

Increase a little each week

Increase your ratio of walking to running every other run (2:1, 3:1, 4:1, etc.), repeating until you reach 20 minutes of workout. Once you complete two 10 minute runs, shorten your warmup and cooldown to two minutes each, so you can continue increasing your runs without exceeding 30 minutes. After completing two sets of 15-minute run, one-minute walk, you can switch things up by trying to eliminate your walk interval and run for a full 2o minutes straight.

Once you feel comfortable running consistently without needing to walk, you can begin to increase your total run volume by 10 per cent each week. This may mean keeping two runs between 20 to 30 minutes, and building up one run as your designated weekly long run. You’ll be hitting that 5K mark before you know it.

Take care of your body

Set a goal to do strength training workouts on your non-run days to support your muscles and joints when you hit the road. Yoga, Pilates and bodyweight exercises are easy techniques to try without even leaving your house. Don’t forget to head to a specialty running shoe store to get new running shoes that are perfect your specific feet–this will make you feel even better when setting out to reach your 5K goal.

Indomitable Grant Holloway clinches 110m hurdles gold medal as Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell settles for Bronze

Grant Holloway has finally clinched gold at the Olympics stage following a dominating 110m hurdles victory.

America's Grant Holloway has finally added an Olympic title to his collection after winning the final of the 110 meters hurdles at the ongoing Paris games.

Holloway’s victory marks the first time an American has won gold in this event since Aries Merritt's triumph at the London 2012 Olympics. Holloway’s performance was nothing short of exceptional, as he maintained his unbroken winning streak and solidified his status as one of the greatest hurdlers in recent history.

In a close race for the remaining podium spots, U.S. teammate Daniel Roberts captured the silver medal with a time of 13.09 seconds, narrowly edging out Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell in a photo finish for the bronze. This marks Roberts' first Olympic medal, adding to the U.S. team’s success in the event.

Holloway’s gold medal not only adds to his impressive collection of accolades but also underscores his dominance in the 110m hurdles.

Thursday's victory also brings some redemption for Holloway after a disappointing showing at the Tokyo Games in 2021 where he entered as the favorite but was upset by gold medalist Hansle Parchment of Jamaica. He began the race with a lead through the first 60 meters but surprisingly stumbled over the seventh hurdle, causing him to fall behind and finish in second.

"You guys think about Tokyo a lot, but we're in Paris," Holloway told reporters prior to the race. "I'm looking forward to continuing to show the great form that I'm in. … Everybody is talking about a world record. If it comes, it comes. The first thing we have to take care of is winning."

Holloway did just that, continuing USA's dominance in this year's Track & Field competitions. He is now the sixth American gold medalist runner, joining Noah Lyles (men's 100m), Quincy Hall (men's 400m), Cole Hocker (men's 1,500m), Gabrielle Thomas (women's 200m) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (women's 400m hurdles).

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone overcomes Femke Bol to succesfully defend 400mH title & set new world record.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone smashes 400m hurdles world record, takes gold

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone overcomes Femke Bol in the final of the 400mH to succesfuly defend Olympic crown and smash own world record.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once again proved her dominance in the 400 meters hurdles by capturing gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Thursday night.

The American track star not only claimed the top spot but also shattered her own world record with a remarkable time of 50.37 seconds, solidifying her legacy as the greatest 400m hurdler of all time.

In an intense final, McLaughlin-Levrone faced stiff competition from the Netherlands' Femke Bol, who had been unbeaten in her last 40 races leading up to the Games.

However, Bol could only manage a bronze medal finish with a time of 52.15 seconds, visibly disappointed by her performance and race tactics, which saw her go out too hard too soon. American Anna Cockrell took the silver medal, clocking a personal best of 51.87 seconds.

McLaughlin-Levrone, who celebrated her 25th birthday just a day before her triumph, became the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 400m hurdles, and only the fifth U.S. woman to secure gold in consecutive Olympic Games across any track and field event. Her victory was met with thunderous applause as she draped herself in the American flag, savoring the moment.

This latest achievement adds to McLaughlin-Levrone's growing list of accolades. She had previously set a world record of 50.65 seconds at the Olympic Trials in Oregon in June, but surpassed that mark with her stunning performance in Paris.

McLaughlin-Levrone’s journey to the top began at the Rio 2016 Olympics, where she made her debut at just 17 years old, becoming the youngest U.S. Olympian in track and field since 1972. Although she exited in the semifinals that year, her progression since has been nothing short of extraordinary.

In the lead-up to her gold-medal race, McLaughlin-Levrone appeared to be in peak form, breezing through the semifinals with a time of 52.13 seconds, the fastest among all qualifiers. Her victory in the final was not only a personal triumph but also a testament to her relentless pursuit of excellence.

With the women's 4x400m relay still ahead, McLaughlin-Levrone is expected to compete for another gold medal on Friday, further pushing the boundaries of what she and her competitors can achieve on the track.

Chebet seeks Olympic double in 10,000m race as Wanyonyi eyes 800m final spot

Olympic 5,000m champion Beatrice Chebet will be seeking a historic double when she lines up in the 10,000m women's final at the Paris 2024 games Later tonight.

Chebet, won the 5000m on Monday night, dashing in the last 50m to beat two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon and Dutch woman Sifan Hassan to the tape.

She will fly the Kenyan flag alongside compatriots Margaret Chelimo and Lilian Kasiait.

Kasait, is the second fastest runner this year with another sub-30 display of 29:26.89, while Chelimo  finished fifth in the 5000m final, has a best time of  (29:27.59), in the 25 laps race

The world record holder with a time of (28:54.14), will face a rich field led by defending champion Sifan Hassan (29:06.82), Ethiopian two-time world 5000m record-holder Gudaf Tsegay and compatriots Fotyen Tesfay (29:47.71) and Tsigie Gebreselama (29:48.34).

While Chebet will be seeking to become the first Kenyan to clinch an Olympic double, Sifan's victory will see the Dutch star become the only woman to have won the title consecutively after Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba's grabbed the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 titles.

The 24-year-old Olympics debutant faces an acid test in her quest for a second gold medal despite being among the favourites despite flooring seasoned track legends Faith Kiyegon, Sifan and Ethiopia's Tsegay Gudaf. In the 5000m race.

“This is a different race and I have to use a different technique to emerge victorious. "It will be tough but I will try my best," Chebet said.

The race takes place at 9.47 pm at the iconic Stade de France.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Commonwealth Games title holder Wycliffe Kinyamal will kick start team Kenya’s track events this afternoon when they line up in the men's 800m semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Hall stuns with 43.40 run to take Olympic 400m title in Paris

Quincy Hall, in the manner of his US teammate Cole Hocker in the previous evening’s men’s 1500m, arrived late to claim the spoils from the hands of a Briton in a men’s 400m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where five runners beat 44 seconds on Wednesday (7).

After winning a battle with Grenada’s rejuvenated 31-year-old London 2012 gold medalist Kirani James in the next lane, Matthew Hudson-Smith, who had come into these Games topping this season’s world list on 43.74, looked about to claim his first global gold.

But the rapidly arriving figure of Hall, in lane eight, confounded him with an irresistible finish over the final 30 meters that saw him hit the line ahead of his British rival, who would not even have been aware of him coming.

A jubilant Hall won in a personal best of 43.40, while Hudson-Smith, who ran an admirable and controlled race, lowered his European record to 43.44 in taking silver.

Hall and Hudson-Smith also established themselves in respective fourth and fifth place on the world all-time list, underlining the deep quality of this race.

In a parallel contest, as James slipped back, bronze looked as if it might be claimed by the 2022 world indoor champion Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, but he too tightened up in the closing stages.

Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, who beat Hudson-Smith to the Commonwealth title in Birmingham two years ago, came through to finish third, bettering the national record of 43.81 he had set in the semifinals with a time of 43.74.

In what was a very open final, Richards was rewarded for his efforts with a national record of 43.78 in fourth place, with James taking fifth place in 43.87. Times one might have expected to earn a medal of some color. It's the first time that five men have finished inside 44 seconds in one race.

Michael Norman, the 2022 world champion who had run a season’s best of 44.10m in the semifinals, finished a disappointed eighth in 45.62.

“I was just thinking, 'get home, sir. Get home, sir’,” said Hall, a former 400m hurdler. "I don’t give up. I just grit, I grind. I’ve got determination. Anything I think will get me to that line, I think of it. A lot of hurt, a lot of pain.

"I just won. It’s over. For the next four years I can say I’m an Olympic champion."

Hudson-Smith said: “I've got an Olympic silver medal and how many people can say that? It's been a hell of a journey. I've been the bridesmaid a couple of times now, but my time is coming. I'm just happy and grateful.

"My family are here. I didn't know they were here, so that was a bit of a shock. I hate them watching me, and my parents don't really watch me often, because they hate watching me as much as I hate them watching - so it's crazy that they came.

"I thought I'd cleared the field. I knew someone was going to come. I wasn't trying to ease up, I was running to the line. He got me on the line, it happens.”

On the fact that five runners went under 44 second, James – the Rio Olympic silver medalist and Tokyo bronze medalist as well as London 2012 champion – added: “There were three in 2016, and I thought I wouldn't see something like this again. I’m glad I’ve been proven wrong.”

El Bakkali retains Olympic steeplechase title in Paris

Soufiane El Bakkali successfully defended his title in the men's 3000m steeplechase at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, winning his fourth successive global title in the event.

The Moroccan, competing in just his second competition of the year, emerged from the pack on a frantic final lap to win in 8:06.05.

USA's Kenneth Rooks, who burst into the lead at the bell and led up until the home straight, took a surprise silver in a big PB or 8:06.41, finishing 06 ahead of Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot, earning another bronze following his third-place finish at the World Championships last year.

World record-holder Lamecha Girma was part of the pack when the kicking started on the final lap, but the Ethiopian had fell hard with 200 metres to go and was a non-finisher, eventually having to be carried off the track on a stretcher.

The opening pace was fast as India’s Avinash Sable took an early lead, closely followed by a trio of Ethiopians: Getnet Wale, Samuel Firewu and Girma. El Bakkali was positioned close behind.

Wale and Firewu then took brief spells at the front with the first 1000m being covered in 2:40.53, putting them on course to break the Olympic record.

The pace settled down during the middle of the race as Sable drifted back through the pack, leaving the three Ethiopians at the front with Firewu doing most of the leading. Uganda’s Leonard Chemutai briefly moved up through the pack, prompting Firewu to increase the pace.

Kenya’s Simon Koech then hit the front and led the field through 2000m in 5:29.8 as the pack started to bunch up. With two laps to go, El Bakkali’s teammate Mohamed Tindouft moved through the field and into second place, but the real drama started on the final lap.

As soon as the bell rang, Rooks darted into the lead and immediately opened up a gap of two metres on the rest of the field. El Bakkali was navigating his way through a field that included Girma, Firewu and Kibiwot.

Among all the chaos, Girma tripped and fell hard, lying motionless on the track. The rest of the field charged forward with El Bakkali moving onto Rooks’ shoulder coming off the bend.

The Moroccan then strode into the lead and sprinted hard off the final barrier, winning in 8:06.05. Rooks crossed the line 0.36 later with Kibiwot claiming the bronze medal in 8:06.47.

Tunisian duo Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui and Ahmed Jaziri finished fourth and fifth. Jhinaoui set a national record of 8:07.73 and Jaziri was rewarded with a PB of 8:08.02, also inside the previous national record.

Is runner’s itch ruining your runs?

Ever experienced a maddening itch while running, and found your legs covered in red, bumpy welts afterward? We’re here to help.

Welcome to the world of runner’s itch, a common, yet frustrating, condition that can turn a great run into an uncomfortable experience. Runner’s itch, or exercise-induced urticaria (to use the scientific term), occurs when your skin reacts to sweat, heat or increased blood flow during physical activity. Understanding how to prevent and treat it can keep you focused on fast feet, rather than scratching your skin.

Prevention is key

Prevention is key to avoiding runner’s itch and ensuring a comfortable run. Start by choosing the right gear: wear moisture-wicking, breathable fabrics that help keep sweat away from your skin. Look for clothing made from materials like polyester or nylon, which are designed to minimize irritation. It’s also crucial to stay hydrated before and during your run, as dehydration can make skin irritation worse.

Another effective strategy is to shower immediately after your workout to wash away sweat and prevent it from lingering on your skin. Finally, consider applying anti-chafing creams or powders on areas prone to irritation; these products create a barrier that can reduce friction and sweating.

Treating runner’s itch

If you do find yourself itching, don’t despair—there are ways to find relief. First, resist the urge to scratch, as this can worsen the irritation and lead to further inflammation. Instead, apply a cool compress or take a lukewarm bath with colloidal oatmeal to soothe the affected areas. Over-the-counter antihistamines can also help alleviate itching and reduce the rash. For persistent cases, consult a dermatologist who can recommend stronger treatments or identify any underlying allergies contributing to the problem.

American teen sprint star Quincy Wilson to make Olympic debut in relay

Quincy Wilson will reportedly lead off the U.S. men's 4x400m relay team in Friday's heats.

American teenage sprint sensation Quincy Wilson, the youngest track and field athlete at the Paris Olympics, is set to make his Olympic debut as he will reportedly lead off the U.S. men’s 4x400m relay team in Friday morning’s heats.

Wilson’s selection comes after he was notably left out of the USA’s mixed 4x400m team, a decision that drew criticism after the Americans had to settle for silver in the final, despite breaking the world record in the heats without him. The U.S. men’s 4x400m relay team will be strong favourites for Olympic gold, especially after Quincy Hall’s electrifying performance to win the men’s 400m gold on Wednesday at the Stade de France.

The 16-year-old from Maryland earned his spot in the U.S. Olympic team with a sixth-place finish in the men’s 400m at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. This season, Wilson has shattered the U18 world 400m record three times, most recently lowering it to 44.20 seconds at the Holloway Pro Classic in Florida two weeks ago.

At just 16 years and 176 days old, Wilson became the youngest American male track athlete ever named to the U.S. Olympic Team, surpassing 200m sprinter Erriyon Knighton, who was 17 when he made the U.S. team for Tokyo 2020. Remarkably, Wilson, who just completed his sophomore year at the Bullis School in Potomac, Md., reportedly doesn’t even have his driver’s license yet.

The decision to have Wilson lead off the relay may have been driven by caution, as the U.S. Olympic relay coach Mike Marsh likely wanted to minimize the risk of a botched handoff, given his lack of prior relay experience on the international stage.

The first round of the men’s and women’s 4x400m relays will go on Friday morning at 11:05 a.m. local time (5:05 a.m. ET).

Cameraman walks into 5,000m racers on the track at Paris Olympics

On Wednesday morning, an unexpected participant made an appearance in the second of two first-round heats of the men’s 5,000m. Two thirds of the way through the race, while filming the women’s javelin event, a cameraman equipped with a large camera rig strolled right through the second lane of the track, stopping just short of lane one. He seemed completely oblivious to the 20 men running straight toward him. Two runners, including Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, had to run around him to avoid a collision. Even the men on the inside of lane one could barely squeeze by him.

Ingebrigtsen was unimpressed, appearing to make angry hand gestures after dodging the cameraman. The last thing he needed after missing the 1,500m podium on Tuesday night was a mid-race collision in his 5,000m race. “It’s amateurish,’ Ingebrigtsen told the media. ‘That should not happen in an Olympics.” Luckily, the Norwegian had been playing it safe by hanging on to the back of the pack, giving him enough time to steer clear.

This isn’t the first time an incident like this has occurred at a major championships. At the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Ore., another rogue cameraman got a unique shot during the men’s 3,000m steeplechase–filming from lane two of the straightaway. His back was to the racers; luckily, runners were able to successfully swerve around him, averting a crash.

The incident is characteristic of a chaotic seventh day of athletics in Paris so far. The first heat saw a major collision that took down six athletes, leaving several medal contenders out of the 5,000m final taking place on Saturday, Aug. 10.

Athletics events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are taking place from Aug. 1-11. Today’s coverage is brought to you by Canadian Running and PUMA Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.

Ingebrigtsen avoids the mayhem to make 5,000m final

 A little over 14 hours after being run out of the medals in the 1,500 metres final, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen was back on the Olympic track on Wednesday in the heats of the 5,000m, where he looked strong as the fastest qualifier.

The defending champion over 1,500m finished fourth in a race won by long-shot American Cole Hocker and, understandably, did the minimum necessary on Wednesday to advance to Saturday’s final.

After going out hard from the start on Tuesday night, he sat comfortably at the back of a 20-man field before easing to the front two laps out and leading it home in 13 minutes 51.59.

The Norwegian bounced back from defeat in the last two world championship 1,500m finals to win the 5,000 and would obviously love to make that a hat-trick.

Ingebrigtsen has been outspoken in his criticism of Briton Josh Kerr, who took silver in the 1,500, but was magnanimous in defeat, writing on his Instagram page: "Well, I guess he (Kerr) did show up after all. Cole Hocker, (bronze medallist) Yared Nuguse and Josh Kerr outsmarted me. They were 'the best guys' when it really mattered. And I want to congratulate them all on a great performance."

There was great support from the crowd as home favourites Hugo Hay and Jimmy Gressier made the early running in a slow and eventually chaotic first heat.

The pedestrian pace meant that the entire 21-man field was together heading into the final lap, with the inevitable clashes, leading to four men falling in the final straight mayhem.

Narve Gilje Nordas, who finished seventh, in the 1,500m final, kept clear of it by hitting the front and led it home in a "fast-walk" 14:08.16, ensuring there will be two Norwegians in the final.

He even had time to fist-bump second-placed finisher Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia, who became the second-fastest man ever over the distance earlier this year, before they crossed the line.

Grant Fisher, still on a high from his bronze in the 10,000, will look to extend the United States' impressive middle and long-distance showing in Paris after also progressing.

Canada’s Tokyo silver medallist Mohammed Ahmed did not make it after falling earlier in the first heat, but the four who went down at the end of it - Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu, George Mills, Mike Foppen and Thierry Ndikumwenayo - were all added to the final lineup after appeals.

Faith Kipyegon ready for historic 1,500m Olympics hat-trick

Two-time 1,500 Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon will be seeking to become the first woman to win three titles in the same individual track event at the Olympics, when she lines up in the semifinals of the race on Thursday at the Stade de France.

The defending champion clocked (4:00.74) to finish fourth in heat two, behind winner Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji (3:59.73), Britain’s Georgia Bell (4:00.290 and USA’s Nikki Hiltz (4:00.42) yesterday.

The heats came barely 12 hours after Kipyegon successfully appealed to overturn her disqualification from the 5,000m after a mid-race altercation with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay in which both narrowly missed crashing onto the track.

Kipyegon grabbed silver in 14:29.60, finishing ahead of the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan (14:30.61) as compatriot Beatrice Chebet grabbed gold in (14:28.56).

However, the track queen will have to be mentally fit in Thursday’s semis, to reach Saturday’s finals, following a drama packed Monday night 5,000m race finals.

“I feel fresh and ready for the semis, I am Faith and I participate in a good way and I believe in myself. It was a good race a lot of pushing up and down but all in all, it is finished and I focus on the 1,500m semis,” Kipyegon said.

Kipyegon who didn’t manage to talk to journalists after Monday’s drama didn’t want to dwell much on the matter.

“I just went to the village and took a nap knowing that I had another race the next morning. I was not disappointed but this is another distance altogether, I really thank Kenyans for the support and prayers as we continue pushing in the 1,500m,” Kipyegon said.

Having put Monday’s drama behind her, she goes to the semis not having lost in the 1,500m since 2021, with the historical third Olympic title beckoning.

The world champion must beat three of the five fastest 1,500m runners in history, including her Ethiopian rival Tsegay and Austraila’s Jessica Hull, to reach her dreams.

She will fly the Kenyan flag alongside compatriots Susan Ejore and Nelly Jepchirchir who also qualified for the semis.

The Kenyan star ended her 2023 track campaign with a 1,500m win at the Wanda Diamond League final in Eugene on 26 Aug 2023.

She ran 3:53.98 in the 1,500m and 14:46.28 for 5,000m in Nairobi, during the Kenyan Olympic trials.

Faith warmed up for the Olympics by breaking the world 1,500m record again at the Paris Diamond League meeting on July 7, 2024 after clocking 3:49.04

Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk is the only woman in the history of the games to ever claim a threepeat, as well as possessing the two fastest performances of all time in the hammer throw.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Wycliffe Kinyamal flawlessly sail to men's 800m semis as Koitatoi Kidali misses podium

Emmanuel Wanyoyi took a comfortable win in the men's 800m first round with Wycliffe Kinyamal finishing third as Koitatoi Kidali struggled to make an impact and he will be out to bid for a semifinal ticket in the repechage round.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Wycliffe Kinyamal and Koitatoi Kidali took to the starting line of the men’s 800m first round and did not fail to impress with their striking runs.

Marco Arop headlined the field and he secured a second position to sail through to the men’s 800m semifinal. He clocked a stunning 1:45.74 to cross the finish line behind Belgium’s Eliott Crestan who won the race in 1:45.51. Australia’s Peyton Craig completed the podium in 1:45.81.

Competing in the second heat, Botswanan sprinter Tshepiso Masalela completed the podium in 1:45.58 as Gabriel Tual won the race in 1:45.13. Mark English of Ireland finished an impressive second in 1:45.15. Kidali finished a distant fifth and will have to contest for the semifinal in the repechage round.

Competing in the third heat, Emmanuel Wanyonyi was flawless as he claimed the win in a time of 1:44.64 ahead of Catalin Tecuceanu who finished second in 1:44.80. Andreas Kramer completed the podium 1:44.93.

Djamel Sedjati led the qualifiers in the fourth heat as he crossed the finish line in a time of 1:45.84 as Great Britain’s Elliot Giles came in second in a time of 1:45.93. America’s Hobbs Kessler completed the podium in a time of 1:44.93.

Kinyamal sealed the podium competing in the fifth heat as he clocked a stunning 1:45.86 to cross the finish line. Great Britain's Ben Pattison won the race as South Africa's Edmund du Plessis finished a close second.

Heat six saw Spain's Mohamed Attaoui win the race as America's Bryce Hoppel came in second. Great Britain's Max Burgin completed the podium in the race.

Meanwhile, the Kenyan trio has been impressive this season, with Wanyonyi being the stand-out times with his impressive times in the build-up to the Olympics.

The world 800m silver medallist clocked the third fastest time since David Rudisha’s retirement at the Kenyan Olympic trials before Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati obliterated his time at the Diamond League Meeting in Paris.

He struck a world record in the men’s mile road to open his season in fashion. Wanyonyi also struck a win at the Kip Keino Classic.

Kinyamal has had impressive podium finishes in events and was looking to make an impact on the Olympic stage in his debut.

On his part, Kidali was a breakout athlete, making his first national team and he hopes to leave a mark on the Olympic stage. He has showcased his tactical run and is certainly a threat to his opponents going into the semifinal.

Why does humidity make running harder?

Don’t blame your fitness level; it’s the humidity. Here’s how you can maximize your training in humid conditions.

If you’re heading out for an easy run in muggy weather and your heart rate is skyrocketing, don’t blame your fitness level. External factors like temperature and humidity are most likely impacting your running efficiency and performance. Humidity, in particular, plays a crucial role in affecting your heart rate and perceived effort. Understanding how humidity influences your running can be essential for optimizing your training and making the most of running in hot, humid conditions.

Understanding humidity 

Humidity is the amount of moisture (water vapour) in the air. When levels are high, the air is saturated with water vapour, making it harder for sweat to evaporate during exercise. This evaporation process is essential for regulating body temperature and optimizing performance. When sweat cannot evaporate efficiently, your body struggles to cool down, and your core temperature remains elevated. This means your heart has to work harder, pumping more blood to the skin’s surface to facilitate cooling through sweat evaporation.

This increased workload on the heart results in an elevated heart rate, even if your running pace remains unchanged. In other words, your heart has to beat faster to maintain adequate blood flow and temperature regulation, making running in high humidity more challenging.

Impact on running

It’s normal for your heart rate to be higher when you’re running in heat and humidity, but this can make running feel more strenuous and mean you feel fatigued earlier. If you’re training for a half-marathon or marathon and heading out for long runs in humid conditions, you might experience a phenomenon known as cardiac drift. This occurs when your heart rate gradually increases over the duration of a long run, even if your pace remains constant, making the effort feel harder over time.

To combat cardiac drift, start your runs well hydrated, and carry water with you. It’s also wise to avoid running too far from home, in case you run out of water. Many experienced marathoners tackle this by doing their long runs on a three- to five-kilometre loop, where they can set up a water station or access a water fountain. This ensures they have consistent access to water and can effectively manage their hydration.

Tips for managing humidity

Try to run during cooler times of the day, such as early morning or after sundown, when humidity levels are lower. Drink water during your run and wear cool, light, moisture-wicking clothing to help regulate your body temperature. If your heart rate remains elevated, consider slowing down the pace to allow your body to adapt to conditions. Training smart in humidity can pay dividends for fall road races.

Another approach is to leave the heart rate monitor behind and run by feel. These devices can sometimes do more harm than good by making you overly focused on numbers instead of tuning in to your body’s signals. Learn to listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel during your run. If you experience dizziness, nausea or excessive fatigue, stop running and seek water and a cooler (shaded) environment to recover.

By understanding how humidity affects your body and taking appropriate precautions, you can continue to enjoy the benefits of running while minimizing potential risks.

The orphaned refugee planning to make Olympic history

Two months ago, Dominic Lobalu thought he would not be able to compete at Paris 2024, but now he has the chance to make history.

The 25-year-old was ruled out of the Tokyo 2020 Games after claiming asylum in Switzerland, making him ineligible to compete for refugee teams.

After being given clearance by World Athletics to represent his adopted nation in May - despite not holding Swiss citizenship - Lobalu won two medals at the the European Championships the following month.

His gold in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m persuaded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to invite Lobalu to join its Refugee Olympic Team, and the South Sudanese-born runner will compete over the shorter distance in the French capital. “This is what I was dreaming for,” Lobalu told BBC Sport Africa.

“When I started my training, the goal was to go to the Olympics one day. And now I have it I'm so happy.”

Boxer Cindy Ngamba has already assured the Refugee Olympic Team of its first ever medal, but Lobalu could upgrade her guaranteed bronze.

The first round of the 5,000m begins on Wednesday, but it has been a long journey for Lobalu to reach the start line. It is one that began in Sudan and has taken detours via Kenya and Switzerland. In 1998, Lobalu was born into a country in the middle of a long-running civil war.

He grew up in Chukudum, a small village in south-east Sudan which would become part of South Sudan when it gained independence in 2011.

The conflict, which ended in 2005, is estimated to have killed two million people. But two years after the war Lobalu's home village was raided by soldiers. The family fled but he was separated from his parents.

He wound up in an orphanage and then, at the age of nine, made it across the border to Kenya with the help of an Italian NGO.

The Kakuma Refugee Camp, a sprawling settlement in north-west Kenya run by the UNHCR, became his new home.

Now living in Switzerland, Lobalu is reluctant to talk in depth about his past before a competition, preferring to focus on the future.

However, he admits his experiences at the camp motivate him on the track.

Gabby Thomas wins Olympics 200m gold after dominant victory over Julien Alfred

American Gabby Thomas was too good for everyone as she eased to 200m Olympics gold medal as Julien Alfred settled for silver.

American Gabby Thomas claimed Olympics gold in the women’s 200m after destroying the field in Paris on Tuesday.

With newly-crowed Olympics 100m champion Julien Alfred and Briton Dina-Asher Smith in the race, there was formidable competition for Thomas but she made it all look too easy when the gun went off.

Thomas took off well and never looked back, commanding the race as she beat her rivals by a massive gap to claim her first Olympics gold medal.

The 27-year-old had won bronze at the 2020 Olympics before finishing second at the 2023 World Championships but with defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and world champion Shericka Jackson missing, she took full advantage.

Thomas clocked 21.83 seconds for victory with Alfred winning silver in 22.08 as American Brittany Brown completed the podium with a bronze medal in 22.20.

It completed a great year for the American who can now look forward to team glory in the 4x100m relay with Team USA.

American Cole Hocker grabs gold from Josh Kerr as Jakob Ingebrigsten and Timothy Cheruiyot wilt in epic 1500m final

America's Cole Hocker shocks world with by clinching 1500m Olympic gold as Ingebrigsten, Kerr and Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot miss out.

In a breathtaking display of speed and strategy, America’s Cole Hocker defied all expectations to win gold in the men’s 1500 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

 Hocker, who was not widely tipped to be a podium contender in a race stacked with talent, outpaced pre-race favorites Jakub Ingebrigtsen, Josh Kerr, and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot to clinch victory and set a new Olympic record of 3:27.65.

The race, which featured three Americans in the final for the first time in Olympic history, saw Hocker apply relentless pressure on Kerr alongside compatriot Yared Nuguse. 

In the final 50 meters, Hocker surged ahead, leaving Kerr and the rest of the field in his wake. Kerr had to settle for silver, finishing in 3:27.79, with Nuguse narrowly taking bronze in 3:27.80.

The race was full of surprises, especially with Cheruiyot, the 2019 world champion, fading dramatically in the last 200 meters to finish a disappointing 11th place. His compatriot, Brian Komen, struggled even more, finishing last with a time of 3:35.59.

Jakub Ingebrigtsen, known for his typical backfoot approach where he waits to make his move in the final stages, adopted a different strategy this time.

He led the charge in the first 800 meters, with Kerr and Cheruiyot close behind, setting a blistering world-record pace after the first lap. As the race progressed, it became clear that the final lap would be a dramatic showdown among the front runners.

With 200 meters to go, Cheruiyot and Komen both started to wilt under the intense pace, falling behind as Kerr and Ingebrigtsen battled for the lead. However, Ingebrigtsen, too, began to fade in the closing stretch, allowing Kerr to take control and seemingly secure the gold.

But it was Hocker who had the final say. Taking advantage of Kerr's inability to maintain his pace, Hocker surged past him in the final meters, crossing the finish line first. 

The victory was sweetened by the Olympic record he set, a testament to his superb race execution. Hocker celebrated his monumental achievement by thumping his chest and ringing the bell, signaling his arrival on the world stage.

Hocker’s triumph is a significant moment in Olympic history, showcasing the depth of talent in American middle-distance running and marking him as one to watch in future championships.

Joshua Cheptegei reigns in 10,000

The 27-year-old Ugandan, who took silver in Tokyo and gold over 5,000m, produced a devastating last 600m to come home in 26:43.14 minutes, knocking 18 seconds off Kenenisa Bekele’s 2008 Olympic record

World record holder Joshua Cheptegei claimed the Olympic 10,000m title he so desperately wanted on Friday when he found a late surge to win a fantastic race and take the Games' first track gold.

The 27-year-old Ugandan, who took silver in Tokyo and gold over 5,000m, produced a devastating last 600m to come home in 26:43.14 minutes, knocking 18 seconds off Kenenisa Bekele’s 2008 Olympic record.

Berihu Aregawi, part of a three-pronged Ethiopian front-running group almost from the start, finished strongly for silver in 26:43.44 and Grant Fisher took a superb bronze in 26:43.46 — only the United States' fourth medal over the distance since the event was added to the Games in 1912.

Cheptegei, world champion in 2019, 2022 and 2023, was surprisingly beaten to gold by Ethiopian Selemon Barega in Tokyo and was desperate for revenge. "My collection for this run is really complete. I'm so excited," he told reporters.

"I said, 'one day I want to be Olympic champion'. It is the most special day. I can’t describe the feeling. I’ve wanted this for a long time. When I took silver in Tokyo I was so disappointed. I just wanted to win the 10,000m."

Race day for newbies

A beginner's guide to feeling like a pro at your first race.

For experienced runners, “race day” is a familiar term consisting of a particular routine, diet and lots of emotions. For beginners, race day can be overwhelming and may make you feel stressed or even helpless. Every runner has a different routine developed over numerous races, experimenting with what works and doesn’t work for them. But beginners have to start from scratch to get their first race day under their belt. Here are a few tips to keep in mind heading into the competition.

Prepare beforehand

Road races typically take place in the morning, calling for an early wake-up. Being nervous or excited can make getting to sleep the night before pretty difficult, so remember that banking sleep throughout the week prior is the most important for getting you rested and recovered.

Check the weather and choose what to wear the night before; it’s better to be over-prepared, with extra layers and a change of clothes for after the race. You can’t outrun the sun: don’t forget your sunscreen, hat and sunglasses, even on a cooler day. Longer layers or gloves that you don’t mind tossing away mid-run will allow you to be more comfortable on a brisk morning, especially while standing around waiting for the starting gun to go off. Most races provide food post-race, but it doesn’t hurt to pack a snack just in case!

Pick up your race kit

With registration, you’ll receive a race kit, a package that includes your bib number and a timing chip that you safety-pin to your shirt. Your bib number is an important piece of identification for time tracking and emergencies. Some events offer race kit pickup the day before or a few days before the competition, allowing you to worry about one less thing when race day comes around.

Arrive early

If you plan to pick up your kit on the morning of your race, give yourself a bit of extra time. Stressing about parking and rushing to use the washroom before getting on the start line are the last things you want to be doing. Aiming to arrive 60 minutes prior to your race should give you plenty of time to get settled in while still leaving room for a good warmup.

For big-city marathon events, you may want to give yourself up to an hour and a half to accommodate for slow-moving crowds and long lines for the porta potty.

Warmup

More often than not, beginners focus on building distance and consistency in preparation for their first race. At these lower intensities, warm-up isn’t usually a major part of their routine. On race days, however, warmup becomes especially important because the intensity of the race will be much greater than your daily runs. Additionally, commuting to the race venue the morning of, or even the day before if it’s particularly far, can cause your legs to feel heavier or stiffer than usual.

A warmup as simple as a light five-minute run and a few dynamic stretches, such as leg swings, hamstring scoops and skipping with arm circles can make all the difference in activating your muscles pre-race.

Fueling

Figuring out what meal to eat and how close to the race you can stomach it is a continuous learning curve for runners. Try to adjust your body in the weeks leading up to the race to handle food within two hours of your run so that you can avoid racing on an empty stomach. Plan for a carbohydrate-focused meal such as oatmeal, yogurt or toast about three to four hours before your race, and add a light snack, such as a granola bar or banana, about two hours out.

Don’t forget to keep sipping water throughout the morning prior to the race to stay hydrated. Experimenting with coffee on race day is probably not the best idea; only drink it if you know your stomach can handle it!

Personalizing your race

Listening to music, wearing a watch or carrying a water bottle are all completely up to you; whatever will make you run faster or more comfortably. Most events have water stations scattered along the course to keep you hydrated throughout. Having an energy gel or two on hand may also give you the boost you need by replenishing your carbohydrate stores, especially for distances over 10 kilometers.

Sifan Hassan says she thought about Olympic marathon during 5,000m final

"I am really freaking scared of the marathon," says Hassan.

Sifan Hassan won her first medal of her attempted distance triple at the Paris 2024 Games, taking bronze in the women’s 5,000m behind Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon. At the post-race press conference, Hassan said she was super happy with the bronze, since the only thing on her mind during the race was how much harder the marathon will be compared to the 5,000m.

The Dutch distance runner is attempting the 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon at these Games, which means she will compete in three races over seven days. Hassan said she was happy to win bronze in 14:30.61: “I would have been proud even if I was fourth,” she laughed. “It was an incredible field.”

She mentioned in the post-race press conference that whenever the 5,000m got tough, she reminded herself that it’s not as hard as the marathon. “I am really freaking scared of the marathon,” Hassan admitted.

Hassan crossed the line in third, but was briefly upgraded to silver after Kipyegon, the second-place finisher, was disqualified for obstructing another athlete with two laps to go. However, Kipyegon was reinstated to the silver medal position following a successful appeal from Athletics Kenya. Hassan said she was happy to see Kipyegon reinstated. “She’s a phenomenal athlete, and I have a lot of respect for her,” she said. “I was here to medal, and I’m really grateful to get one.”

The four-time Olympic medallist from the Netherlands said she has never pushed her limits as she has this year in preparation for the distance triple at the Paris Olympics. “I really want to cry before every race; I am so under pressure—like, ‘how am I going to do this? Why do I put myself through this?'” said Hassan. “Maybe I am just crazy.”

The 31-year-old will next compete on Friday in the women’s 10,000m final, and then run in the marathon on Sunday.

Athletics events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are taking place from Aug. 1-11. Today’s coverage is brought to you by Canadian Running and New Balance Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.