Olympic Women’s Hept — Historic Third Win For Thiam

JUST 10 DAYS before turning 30, Nafi Thiam gave herself an early birthday present — something no other combined events athlete has ever received: a third Olympic gold medal.

But this was no gift — it was rightfully earned, as Thiam’s 36-point victory needed a PR in the concluding 800 to hold off long-time rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson, on her own quest for any medal in her fourth Olympics.

Those two had company among the favorites as 23-year-old Anna Hall entered her first Olympics with the world’s best score over the last six years at 6988 from last year, but Hall’s 2024 version was recovering and building back from a knee surgery in January.

Some tagged this trio as the Big 3 — Nos. 3, 5 & 7 on the all-time world list with tallies of 7013, 6988 and 6981.

Those three attracted the most attention, and here’s how their first-ever meeting as a trio unfolded.

100H: Annik Kälin PRed at 12.87, beginning a surprising medal threat. Hall ran 13.36, just off the 13.34 she ran at the Trials. KJT was solid at 13.40, much faster than her 13.66 in June’s Euro Championships, while Thiam’s 13.59 was better than her 13.74 at the Euros.

High Jump: American Chari Hawkins no-heighted, but the Big 3 began to make this look like the great competition it could be. Thiam and KJT — co-holders of the Olympic heptathlon best of 6-6 (1.98) from Rio — had matching clearances of 6-3½ (1.92). It was actually a disappointment for Thiam — the WR hept HJ holder at 6-7/2.02 — but a boost for KJT in clearing her best since 2019. Hall jumped well at 6-2¼ (1.89), her second-best in a heptathlon.

Shot: The gold battle became a two-person affair after Thiam (51-0/15.54) and KJT (47-4½/14.44) hit personal bests while Hall was notably off hers with 46-3½/14.11 versus her best of 48-6¾/14.80. Surprisingly down and effectively losing any chance of a medal was Anouk Vetter at 49-5½/15.07. A medalist in the last three WC/OGs, she has a best of 53-3¾/16.25).

200: KJT was fastest at 23.44 to take the Day 1 lead, 48 points up on Thiam, who clocked a yearly best of 24.46. The future actually favored Thiam, just 49 points down on her PR 7013 pace, while KJT was 83 points down versus her 6981 PR.

Long Jump: Thiam and KJT had ample opportunity to take control here — both have PRs well over 22-feet — but neither did with…