A race for the ages ensued when Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and Josh Kerr of Britain took to the hallowed Olympic track. After months of debate following Kerr’s 2023 Budapest world title, it was time for the pair to settle the score.
Ingebrigtsen and Kerr entered the home straight side by side, but it was Cole Hocker of the USA who won the race. Kerr finished second, narrowly beating Yared Nuguse to prevent an American one-two. Ingebrigtsen, having set the early pace, was left empty-handed, finishing fourth.
The women’s 200 meters also went the USA’s way, with Gabby Thomas taking the title in 21.83 seconds. Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who won Saturday’s (3 August) 100 meters title, finished second in 22.08 seconds, with Brittany Brown joining compatriot Thomas on the podium with bronze in 22.20 seconds. Dina Asher-Smith (22.22 seconds) and Daryll Neita (22.23 seconds) finished just off the podium in fourth and fifth.
Bahrain took their first gold of the games in the women’s 3,000 meters as Winfred Yavi broke the Olympic record in 8 minutes 52.76 seconds. She was pushed hard by Peruth Chemutai of Uganda, who finished second in 8 minutes 53.34 seconds.
Miltiadis Tentoglou backed up his long jump gold medal from Tokyo with gold in Paris. The Greek athlete recorded 8.48 meters (27-9.90) to take the title.
The men’s 400 meters semi-finals pitted European favorite Matt Hudson-Smith against America’s Michael Norman. Hudson-Smith, the world number one from Britain, took the win in 44.07 seconds.
Team GB’s Charlie Dobson couldn’t match his teammate’s qualification, finishing fourth in his semi-final with a 44.48-second clocking, while Grenada’s Kirani James qualified fastest for tomorrow’s (7 August) final with 43.78 seconds.
Canada completed the hammer throw clean sweep. Camryn Rogers threw 76.97 meters (252-6.31) to back up Ethan Katzberg’s title on Sunday (4 August).
The women’s 400 meters hurdles bore few surprises as title contenders Femke Bol of the Netherlands (52.57 seconds) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA (52.13 seconds) cruised through to the final as race winners. The duo will face off in the final on Thursday (8 August).
Jessie Knight (54.90 seconds) and Lina Nielsen (1 minute 31.22 seconds) both failed to qualify for the final, with Nielsen tripping on the final hurdle to end her 400 meters hurdles campaign.
Tomorrow (7 August) sees British medal interest when Matthew Hudson-Smith takes to the Parisian track…
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