2024 Olympic Updates, Results for Aug 10: Track & Field's Super Saturday
2024 Olympic Updates, Results for Aug 10: Track & Field's Super Saturday
Follow along as the biggest stars in the sport like Faith Kipyegon and Jakob Ingebrigtsen will have their last chance at Olympic gold.
The final in-stadia day of Olympic track and field action gets underway at the Stade de France on Saturday, featuring a staggering eight finals to say goodbye to Paris.
Yesterday's evening session crowned eight champions and put on display both Olympic glory for the likes of Rai Benjamin and frustration for the American men's 4x100m team.
Beginning with the men's high jump, 800m, and 5000m, women's javelin, 100mH, and 1500m, the last track session will end with Team USA going for gold in the men's and women's 4x400m finals.
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Stay tuned for live updates across the session.
3:14 PM EDT: Women's 4x400m Final
We know that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone should make an appearance here, and she's one of two women at these Olympics to have split under 48 seconds (at the 2022 World championships).
The teams are now announced: It'll be Shamier Little handing off to McLauglin-Levrone 2nd, to 200m champ Gabbi Thomas with Alexis Holmes on anchor. The decision to put Sydney on 2nd leg is curious -- if she runs her best, the rest of the teams may be chasing down the Americans for most of the race.
There's a whole host of teams that could challenge, but we're looking out for the Netherlands with Femke Bol (who split 47.9 in the mixed relay) on anchor, and Ireland with their star Rhasidat Adeleke on second leg matching Sydney. And of course new British record-holder Amber Anning shouldn't be discounted on Team GB's anchor leg if she's close enough.
It'll be tough to follow the men's event with six national records. Can the Netherlands repeat as world champions, or will McLaughlin-Levrone's lead prove insurmountable?
Little gets off to a great start. Her split of 49.50 is the best in the field. Can Syd extend the lead? She's crushing the bend, and there's nobody in sight as she cuts in. Just two legs in, it's a phenomenal lead. Behind her, the Jamaicans stop running on the bend, their team is out. And a 47.70 split for McLaughlin-Levrone! Gabby Thomas is running all alone now, and she splits a 49.30! Can Bol get the stick within reach?
It's over. With 200m to go, the only question left is the world record. It's the most dominating run of the Olympics, and they miss the world record by just a tenth of a second in 3:15.27. They'll settle for an American record and gold medal!
Bol kicks for the silver as the Netherlands sets a national record, 3:19.50. And for bronze it's another national record for the British team and Amber Anning, 3:19.72. Ireland (3:19.90) and France (3:21.41) in 4th and 5th will go home without medals, but they've set national records of their own to be proud of.
With replay footage now available, it's clear Andrenette Knight lost her baton on the curve which is why the Jamaican team is a DNF.
3:00 PM EDT: Men's 4x400m Final
After an important 400mH victory, Rai Benjamin is back to anchor the U.S. team in the 4x400m. The order will be Christopher Bailey to Vernon Norwood, to Bryce Deadmon to Benjamin (high schooler Quincy Wilson was subbed out after splitting a 47 in the prelims). World champ Quincy Hall won't be on the US squad either.
Handoffs are less important in the 4x400m, but it'll still be a tough race with Botswana in the mix -- they won World Relays, and they've put 200m gold medalist Letsile Tebogo on anchor. World Indoor champ Alexander Doom won't feature on the Belgian team, but two Borlee brothers will.
Botswana's Bayapo Ndori leads at 400m -- 44.30, it's looking great for them so far. Norwood cuts to the rail in 3rd place -- he's making up some ground but still hands off behind GB and Botswana. But coming from the outside Bryce Deadmon cuts in and takes the lead right after the exchange! The question is can Botswana keep it close enough?
It's Tebogo vs Benjamin on anchor! It's not looking great for the Americans, can the 400mH champ hold on against the 200m champ. Tebogo comes wide on the home stretch, and for a moment it looks like he'll do it. But Benjamin holds on! The U.S. team's time of 2:53.43 is an Olympic record, and Behind them both Botswana (2:54.53) and Great Britain (2:55.83) set continental records for the minor medals. Because heat runners also get medals, this means 16-year-old Wilson will be leaving his first Olympics with a gold.
According to World Athletics data, Tebogo actually had the fastest split in the race -- 43.03 to Benjamin's 43.13. It was a phenomenal race all the way down -- Belgium (2:57.75) and South Africa (2:58.12) both set national records in 4th and 5th, and Japan sets the Asian record at 2:58.33 in 6th. It's incredible that Italy runs under 3 minutes and has to settle for 7th.
2:15 PM EDT: Women's 1500m Final
You've got to wonder if Kenya's Faith Kipyegon was watching that men's 5000m final. Like a reverse Ingebrigtsen scenario, she's got to feel she's been robbed of gold in the women's 5000m earlier and this will be her last chance at glory in an event where the odds heavily favor her. But behind her, can the Americans Elle Purrier St. Pierre and Nikki Hiltz try for medals?
After some jostling at the start, St. Pierre trails 3:50 woman Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia, they go an extremely speedy 59.3 at 400m. Tsegay is separating and Kipyegon is reeling her in -- this is historically fast.
It's 2:03.3 at 800, St. Pierre is moving back and the breakout Australian star Jess Hull is on the outside with Hiltz just behind.
Somehow, at 1200m in 3:07.1, there's a huge pack there and it's still anyone's race. Tsegay is gone! Kipyegon is in pole position. The Brit Laura Muir was far back but is trying to close the gap!
Kipyegon makes her move with 100m to go! This is her last shot, and it's a bullet! It's a new Olympic record in 3:51.29 with nobody else even close.
Behind her, Jess Hull and shocker Georgia Bell, after being away from the sport for 5 years, come back to win the silver and bronze medals passing Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia.
Hiltz and St. Pierre finish 7th and 8th in 3:56.38 and 3:57.52. Muir finishes in a respectable 5th, with Susan Ejore of Kenya in 6th between her and the Americans. Bell's 3:52.61 is a new national UK record.
1:50 PM EDT: Men's 5000m Final
After a performance in the men's 1500m that could only be described as both impressive and devastating, Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway has one last chance for a Paris gold. And the odds are in his favor, as 10K champ Josua Cheptegei has withdrawn and Ingebrigtsen has looked unbeatable in championship 5Ks in recent years. He'll be hoping for a slow race, which might allow the likes of 10K bronze medalist and American hope Grant Fisher to be in the mix for another medal. And don't count out Hagos Gebrhiwet, who ran 12:36 earlier this year to scare the world record.
Six extra men were advanced into this final from the heats, making for a huge 22-person field. If it gets out slow, a fall may happen.
Ingebrigtsen is mid-pack and they're running comfortably at 14:30 pace. Spain's Thierry Ndikumwenayo, formerly of the refugee team, leads at 800. It's 2:49.7 for him leading at 1K. Fisher is in 5th at 2:50.3, and Jakob sits on the inside waiting to make his move. The other American finalist, Graham Blanks of Harvard, is sitting behind.
It's Dominic Lobalu who starts to pick it up and string it out, splitting 2K in 5:36.7. Now Ndikumweanyo is taking back, but behind him Fisher has maneuvered himself into 2nd on the rail.
Ingebrigtsen starts to make his slow move up the pack, and it's really starting to slow down again as everyone winds up their kick. Ethiopia's Biniam Mehary gets the 3K prime at 8:17.5.
Mehary, just 17 years old, is trying to speed up the race now with his countryman Addisu Yihune in tow. Pretty much everyone is still in the race 9:30 in -- and as a result Fisher gets a little shove. He's running alongside Ingebrigtsen now with them jointly in 4th behind the Ethiopians and Belgian John Heymans. Yihune splits 10:52.0 with a K to go!
It's go-time with 2 laps to go! Yihune leads Mehary with Fisher in 3rd. Coming form the back Gebrehiwet makes the first big move at 12 minutes! Is this the gold medal move with 500m to go?
Jakob tries to follow as Gebrehiwet has made a gap. He's caught up with 200m to go, and the race looks won now. Can Jakob get his redemption with 100m to go, in the lead?
Yes! It's not even close on the home straight. A display of total dominance to win in 13:13.67.
Behind him, it's a mad dash for the minor medals. It's Kenya's Ronald Kwemoi, Lobalu, Gebrehiwet, and Fisher going all-out -- and it's Kwemoi and Fisher who win the match, finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively and giving Fisher a nice pair of bronzes.
Jakob's wife is seen crying in the stands holding his child. It's an incredible comeback story for him after finishing out of the 1500m medals.
1:35 PM EDT: Women's 100m Hurdles Final
All three Americans (Alaysha Johnson, NCAA champ Grace Stark, Trials winner Masai Russell) have made it to the 100m hurdles final -- and notably, world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria hasn't. Can the American women repeat their medal sweep performance famously achieved at the Rio 2016 Games? Or will defending champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn or world indoor 60m record holder Devynne Charlton throw a thorn in that plan?
Tual made a valiant effort, but wasn't able to secure a French medal today in the 800m -- that leaves Cyrena Samba-Mayela with the home crowd's best shot left in the 100m hurdles.
Aalaysha Johnson stumbles! At the line, it's Russell and Samba-Mayela in a photo finish! After a few agonizing seconds, it's revealed Russell is your new Olympic champion in 12.33! Samba-Mayela, carrying the weight of her home country on her shoulders, delivers with a silver medal and she's elated by it.
Camacho-Quinn, the defending champ, settles for bronze in 12.36. Surprising in 4th was the Dutchwoman Nadine Visser in 12.43, ahead of Stark.
Jamaica's Ackera Nugent trips, runs off the track from lane 9 and is a DNF. Charlton just didn't have it and was 6th in 12.56.
1:30 PM EDT: Women's Javelin Throw Final
The defending World champ Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan returns as the #1 ranking, but look out for the Pole Maria Andrejczyk who threw 65.52m (and has a best of 71.40m) to lead the qualification.
Andrejczyk kicks off the competition with a first throw of 62.44m. Kitaguchi follows that with a 65.80m, the current leader.
With the 3rd round of throwing over, Kitaguchi's 65.80 is still leading by nearly a full two meters over Jo-Ane Van Dyk of South Africa (63.93m).
With just one round to go, Kitaguchi's first attempt still leads and Van Dyk sits 2nd, woith Niko Ogrodnikova of Czechia 3rd at 63.68. These standings still haven't changed since the 3rd round. What we do know is that Australia's Mackenzie Little won't be medaling, as she was outside the top eight after three attempts.
It's over now, and there's no change in the order. Kitaguchi fouls her last attempt, but it's no matter. She becomes the first Japanese woman to win Olympic gold in a throwing event. Behind her, Van Dyk and Ogrodonikova hang on for the silver and bronze.
1:15 PM EDT: Men's 800m Final
Can the American world indoor champ Bryce Hoppel get it done on the outdoor stage? Will France get a crucial track medal from Gabriel Tual who has broken through this year to a 1:41 PB? And dare we even mention David Rudisha's world record of 1:40.91 might come under pressure by the likes of Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya? It took 1:43 to just make this final -- roughly the 8th-place time of that legendary 2012 Olympic final. We'll find out what will happen in a moment.
Wanyonyi takes it at 200, with Tual in tow and Hoppel in 3rd. It's 50.28 at 400, not a pedestrian pace. At 600 Wanyonyi takes the lead back from Tual. Wanyonyi is coming under pressure from Marco Arop in the home stretch -- But he holds on!
It's 1:41.19! The third-fastest time ever, and Wanyonyi beats defending World champ Marco Arop of Canada.
Behind them, Bryce Hoppel runs 1:41.67 for a new American record -- but it's only good enough for 4th as the pre-race favorite Djamel Sedjati of Algeria passes Hoppel for the bronze medal (1:41.50). Arop's time is, of course, a North American record. Tual fades at the end for 6th in 1:42.14.
Hoppel looks upset, caught staring continuously at the video board.
1:00 PM EDT: Men's High Jump Final
He was in the emergency room just hours ago vomiting blood from a kidney colic -- but against all odds, Gianmarco Tamberi has been seen warming up for the high jump final. His co-gold-medalist Mutaz Essa Barshim will also be there after a perilous prelim that saw him jumping on an injured calf, meaning it's anyone's guess what will happen tonight.
The opening height is 2.17 m, and Barshim and Tamberi have both passed it. The lone American finalist, Shelby McEwen, clears with ease.
Tamberi makes his opening at 2.22m, and it's a miss on first attempt. On the other hand, Barshim is one-for-one making his first jump at that height.
After another miss, on his final attempt Tamberi makes 2.22m and will continue with a mark on the board! Don't count him out just yet.
So far, Barshim is looking really impressive going over these bars with another first-time clearance at 2.27m. At the start of this round, 11 of the 12 finalists are still in the game.
Sadly, Tamberi misses his third attempt at 2.27. His Olympic title defense is officially over.
After 2.31m, Barshim and McEwen are the only jumpers left with perfect records -- a great showing for McEwen so far.
It's a huge clearance for Stefano Sottile of Italy at 2.34m, now the second man to be over that height after Barshim.
At the start of the 2.36m round, there's four left for 3 medals: Barshim, Sottile, McEwen who barely survived 2.34 on his last attempt, and the Kiwi Hamish Kerr. After Barshim and Sottile miss, McEwen clears 2.36 first attempt!
It's not looking good for Barshim at 2.36, he's missed his first two attempts and has passed his 3rd. With Sottile now out and in 4th, the medals are set for Barshim, Kerr, and McEwen -- just yet to find their order. Kerr's clearance at 2.36 is an Oceanian record.
With a miss at 2.38m, it's now confirmed: Neither of the Tokyo Olympic champions in this event will repeat, and Barshim will have to settle for bronze. Kerr and McEwen both miss their first attempts at 2.38m. (For the record they're equal on countback, so if neither can clear we'll either have to go to jumpoff or see another shared gold medal).
McEwen can't do it -- he fails all attempts at 2.38m. If Kerr misses his final attempt at this height, we'll see a jumpoff or shared medal. Kerr flubs his approach and runs through. So what will happen now?
McEwen makes a signal to the crowd, and reading his lips, he says "Jump!" This competition isn't over yet.
In the jump-off, McEwen misses first attempt at 2.38. The ball is in Kerr's court now, and he also misses so for the first time in the competition, the bar goes down rather than up to 2.36.
McEwen clips the bar and misses. Can Kerr do it? No, he can't! We'll move the bar all the way down to 2.34 now as these tired jumpers' sudden death will extend to three rounds.
McEwen fails and Kerr makes height! The medals are finally set -- Kerr gold, McEwen silver.