© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated
Gendergate in boxing, Dronegate in soccer, Flaggate during the opening ceremony and Poogate in the Seine could not dull the shine of the historic men’s 10,000-metre race on Friday.
Even Celine Dion miming her own rendition of Edith Piaf’s L’Hymne A L’Amour or the Olympic balloon torch that was literally out of sight for athletes during the opening ceremonies can be forgiven for now.
On the other hand, let’s not forget the incredible Simone Biles performance as well as her exchange with Snoop Dog. It has not been all bad. But that men’s 10,000-metre race, what a show.
Men’s 10,000m
Joshua Cheptegei bettered Kenenisa Bekele’s 5000m and 10,000m world records, then went on to win three World Championships 10,000m, and World Cross Country gold. The only thing missing from his list of successes was Olympic gold in the 10,000m. He now has it.
Cheptegei entered the race with Olympic gold in the 5000m distance event from the Tokyo Olympics run in 12:58.15. The now 27-year-old took silver in the 10,000m in 2021. He clocked a 27:43.63 performance in a tactical race. Selemon Barega of Ethiopia took the gold in 27:43.22. Less than half a second separated the two. Cheptegei wanted that race back. He had to wait three years to make that happen.
He's done it again! ASP Joshua Cheptegei wins a gold medal with a time of 26:43.14 in the 10,000m! Congratulations, Joshua, for making Uganda proud!#Paris2024
— Uganda Police Force (@PoliceUg) August 2, 2024
📸 courtesy pic.twitter.com/fUZzijGnA0
On Friday, Cheptegei of Uganda rested within the large pack of a baker’s dozen most of the way to take the Olympic gold medal with a stunning finale, where anyone on any other day may have medalled. There were two dozen in the race, but half of them formed a large lead pack that ran relentlessly and with a sense of borderline reckless abandonment.
The US’s Grant Fisher sat resolutely in third or fourth place for the entirety of the 25-lap race. He was avoiding the rich surges put on by an Ethiopian team that sacrificed two athletes and gold by dropping the hammer repeatedly. The unstated but obvious purpose was to string out the field and take the kick out of every competitor’s legs. Fisher smartly avoided the games. Moh Ahmed of Canada raced similarly. But Team Ethiopia made up of Barega, Berihu Aregawi and Yomif Kajelcha just kept surging. The tactic worked if putting one of three athletes on the podium is considered a victory. Not likely in Ethiopia, but it is not a failure either.
A record thirteen athletes clocked sub-27 minutes. Cheptegei crushed a new Olympic record of 26:43.14, taking down Kenenisa Bekele’s Olympic record of *27:01.17 from 2008. Five athletes finished in 26:43. Kajelcha and Barega in 26:44, for their sacrifice in sixth and seventh place. Aregawi took silver, Fisher bronze and a new personal best.
Ahmed F-bombed his post-race CBC interview. He said that he had done his best and given it his all and although was disappointed to not medal, is happy with his tactics and performance. It was a smart race, that could have gone another way on another night. But for the delight of 70,000 fans in Stade de France, it was a thriller, for the millions watching on TV and online, live and recorded, it was a truly historical race.
Spanish, South African and French national records were broken by athletes who finished in ninth, 10th and 13th place, respectively.
The race was so stunning that Olympian who now provides commentary for NBC Kara Goucher, cried and fell silent for over one minute during the broadcast. She hugged Fisher shortly after the race.
Results
POS | Athlete | Nat | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Joshua CHEPTEGEI | UGA | 26:43.14 OR |
2 | Berihu AREGAWI | ETH | 26:43.44 |
3 | Grant FISHER | USA | 26:43.46 SB |
4 | Mohammed AHMED | CAN | 26:43.79 SB |
5 | Benard KIBET | KEN | 26:43.98 PB |
6 | Yomif KEJELCHA | ETH | 26:44.02 |
7 | Selemon BAREGA | ETH | 26:44.48 |
8 | Jacob KIPLIMO | UGA | 26:46.39 SB |
9 | Thierry NDIKUMWENAYO | ESP | 26:49.49 NR |
10 | Adriaan WILDSCHUTT | RSA | 26:50.64 NR |
11 | Daniel MATEIKO | KEN | 26:50.83 |
12 | Nico YOUNG | USA | 26:58.11 |
13 | Jimmy GRESSIER | FRA | 26:58.67 NR |
14 | Nicholas KIPKORIR | KEN | 27:23.97 |
15 | Merhawi MEBRAHTU | ERI | 27:24.25 |
16 | William KINCAID | USA | 27:29.40 |
17 | Birhanu BALEW | BRN | 27:30.94 SB |
18 | Jamal Abdelmaji EISA MOHAMMED | EOR | 27:35.92 PB |
19 | Isaac KIMELI | BEL | 27:51.52 |
20 | Jun KASAI | JPN | 27:53.18 |
21 | Yves NIMUBONA | RWA | 27:54.12 PB |
22 | Martin Magengo KIPROTICH | UGA | 28:20.72 PB |
23 | Abdessamad OUKHELFEN | ESP | 28:21.90 |
24 | Tomoki OTA | JPN | 29:12.48 |