In a thrilling day at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda set a new Olympic record in the men’s 10,000m while the United States quartet set a new world record in the mixed 4x400m relay.
Cheptegei Sets Olympic 10,000m Record
Joshua Cheptegei, a three-time world 10,000m champion, became the Olympic 10,000m champion with a commanding performance in the Stade de France. Despite a highly competitive field, Cheptegei managed to outpace his Ethiopian rivals, including Berihu Aregawi, Yomif Kejelcha, and Selemon Barega. His time of 26:43.14 set a new Olympic record, surpassing the previous mark. Aregawi took silver with a time of 26:43.44, and Grant Fisher of the United States secured bronze with 26:43.46 after a strong finish.
United States Sets World Record in Mixed 4x400m Relay
The mixed 4x400m relay heats saw an electrifying performance from the United States team. Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon, and Kaylyn Brown smashed the world record with a time of 3:07.41, eclipsing the previous mark of 3:08.80 set last year. France finished second with a national record of 3:10.60, while Belgium, Jamaica, and Switzerland also set national records. Great Britain and Nigeria also posted strong performances, with Great Britain securing a national record of 3:10.61.
Hassan Starts Triple Quest with 5000m Qualification
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, competing in the 5000m, 10,000m, and marathon, began her bid for an Olympic triple by qualifying for the 5000m final. Hassan finished second behind Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who narrowly edged out Hassan by six thousandths of a second with both clocking 14:57.56. Hassan, the defending 5000m champion, aims to repeat her success in this and the other events on her schedule.
Decathlon and Discus Highlights
In the decathlon, Germany’s Leo Neugebauer retained his lead after the first day’s events, including a strong performance in the high jump. Norway’s Sander Skotheim and Canada’s Damian Warner remain close competitors.
In the women’s discus, 45-year-old Melina Robert-Michon made history with her seventh Olympic appearance and a season’s best throw of 63.77m. Valarie Allman of the US led the qualifiers with a throw of 69.59m, while Croatia’s Sandra Elkasevic also performed well.
800m and Shot Put Updates
In the women’s 800m, several athletes ran times faster than the previous Olympic record. Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia won her heat with a time of 1:57.90. World No. 1 Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain won her heat in 1:59.31, and will be joined in the semifinals by compatriots Jemma Reekie and Phoebe Gill.
In the men’s shot put, Ryan Crouser, aiming for a third consecutive Olympic gold, qualified for the final with a throw of 21.49m. Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri led the qualifiers with 21.76m.
Triple Jump and Upcoming Events
Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez led the women’s triple jump qualification with a leap of 14.68m. She is followed by Jamaica’s Shaniecka Ricketts and Jasmine Moore of the United States. The final is set to be an exciting showdown, especially with Thea LaFond from Dominica also making it through.
Day two of the Paris 2024 Olympics showcased remarkable performances and set the stage for more thrilling events in the days ahead.
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