Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the 16th and final official day of competition of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
So much happened on day 15 with medals being awarded left right and centre. And after the dust settled, it was a day to remember for New Zealand with high jumper Hamish Kerr securing a dramatic gold medal, golfer Lydia Ko completing a full set with a two-stroke victory, and canoe sprinter Lisa Carrington winning her third final of the Games to extend her national record of gold medals to a staggering eight.
Elsewhere, the marathon was fast, the sport climbing was gripping, and the boxing was controversial. Faith Kipyegon and the US men’s basketballers remained invincible; unlike Karsten Warholm.
So what do we have in store today?
🥇 Marathon – women’s (from 08:00) 🥇 Modern Pentathlon – women’s (from 11:00) 🥇 Wrestling – men’s freestyle 65kg & 97kg / women’s freestyle 76kg (from 11:00) 🥇 Weightlifting – women’s 81kg (from 11:30) 🥇 Volleyball – women’s (from 13:00) 🥇 Cycling – women’s sprint & omnium / men’s keirin (from 12:45) 🥇 Handball – men’s (from 13:30) 🥇 Water Polo – men’s (from 14:00) 🥇 Basketball – women’s (from 15:30) 🔥 Closing Ceremony (from 21:00) *(All times listed are Paris local)
Simon Burnton’s day-by-day guide
Women’s marathon Tradition has it that the men’s marathon should close the Olympic athletics programme, but not this year. At the end of a route that partly follows the women’s march on Versailles, one of the most significant events of the French Revolution, this will be the final medal decided in the Stade de France. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who shattered the world record last year, will be hoping to improve on her previous Olympic experience: coming fifth in an 800m heat in 2016.
Men’s water polo Though Serbia have won gold at the last two Olympics a three-peat would be a massive achievement given the pure competitiveness of this event – the last four world championships have had four different winners and seven different medallists, with Croatia coming out on top in the latest, in Doha in February. “I have no favourites,” their coach, Ivica Tucak, said. “There is a circle of nine teams from which any can beat any, where every match can be won or lost. Any medal is a magnificent result.”
Closing ceremony There will be no parade of departing athletes here, just – in the words of Thomas Jolly, director of ceremonies – “a great show where only music will resonate”, and of course a handover to Los Angeles, hosts in 2028. The official website predicts that “like an indelible memory, this closing ceremony will be marked by audacity, fraternity and emotion”, and that it will be “an incredible moment of celebration and sharing” in which “the emotion will be immense”. So quite good, then.
I’m sure I’ve failed to include something notable to you in this short rundown, so feel free to let me know what’s on your agenda by emailing: [email protected].
I’ll be around for the first few hours of the blog here in Australia, after which I’m handing over to the the UK.
Time to turn our attention to the women’s marathon, which gets underway at 08:00 local time.
Today’s race is historic for a couple of reasons. Firstly, history. The course traces the route of the Women’s March on Versailles, on 5 October 1789. From the Olympics website:
On 5 and 6 October 1789, market women, shopkeepers and workers from the popular quarters gathered in front of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris to demand bread and arms. Between 6,000 and 7,000 Parisian women, joined by men, marched through Paris to Versailles to bring the King back to the Tuileries. That day, Louis XVI finally agreed to ratify the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens.
Secondly, the women’s race is being run the day after the men’s, in a more prestigious slot. This is a reflection of the ambition of Games organisers to make Paris 2024 the most female-focussed Olympics in history.
The first women’s marathon race at the Olympics wasn’t staged until 1984. And as recently as 1967 women were being manhandled by race organisers to prevent them from competing.
The final event on the athletics program for Paris 2024 is under way. In front of the famous Hôtel de Ville, an incredibly strong field will race to Versailles and back over the next two and a quarter hours.
The weather is beautiful. It’s sunny, dry, and still, with temperatures in the high teens.
This is great – Kathrine Switzer (linked earlier) – is delivering the coup de baton before the start of the race. Well done Paris.
But the most interesting athlete in the race is Sifan Hassan, from the Netherlands.
“Dear Jonathan,” emails Johan Barnard. “The Dutch will watch Sifan Hassan in the marathon to see whether she can add one more medal to the bronzes she got on the 5,000 and 10,000m. We believe it is very rare for athletes to have success both indoors and outdoors. Some journalists in the Netherlands wrote about a “plan Zatopek” in describing this set of races. Have a nice day!”
Thanks Johan. What Hassan is attempting is extraordinary. she has already raced a 5,000m heat, a 5,000m final, and a 10,000m final in the past nine days. She also qualified for the 1500 but opted not to participate.
Kenya are well represented with defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, and two-time 5,000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri.
Here is that route, for anyone who still can’t get enough of the majestic Paris cityscape.
Marathon: The leading athletes have passed 35km (21.7 miles) and it is Kenya’s Sharon Lodeki who continues to hold the lead. We are in the closing stages now and the pace of all of the athletes has increaded.
Marathon: The leading pack has been cut down to five but it does not contain the defending champion as she is around 30 seconds behind. It would take a lot for Peres Jepchirchir to get into the medal spots now.
Marathon: The leading athletes have reached the bottom of the hill and now they have completely flat road and so let the real racing begin. Athletes will begin to put their tactics in place to establish a lead in the closing stages.
Marathon: A sixth athlete has pulled out with Zimbabwe’s Rutendo Joan Nyahora unable to finish.
At the front of the race is a pack of nine athletes but the picture is ever-changing and there is a lot of race to go here.
Marathon: 30km (18.6 miles) is the point just passed and we have another different leader with Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi is in front after the horrid hill, the leading pack have now completed the hill and are on the downhill.
Marathon: This hill has been described as the athletes climbing a ladder and I have to say this looks absolutely gruelling. The pack is really pulling apart now but after this hill I believe the course is mostly flat so it will be key for the athletes to conserve some energy so they can either make up time or build a lead.
Marathon: I thought the flat road would see some making a move here and the USA’s Dakotah Lindwurm has done just that. She split from the 20-or-so pack but Israel’s Salpeter has moved with her.
Marathon: Halfway has just been passed and it is Jessica Stenson who has retaken the lead as the course hits a flat part. The hills aren’t over yet but this part of the course may see some athletes try to build a lead.
Marathon: The athletes have just passed 20km (12.4 miles) and so we have another split time and it is Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter who leads, coming through at 1:09:31.
Medal hope the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan is back in 15th.
Marathon: The commentators are criticising Jessica Stenson’s tactics here. They think she has broken away too early here and that she should have saved that energy for a later moment in the race. But you’d think she would have analysed this course and spoken tactics with her coaching team, though a medal may not be in her grasp.
Marathon: And now the breakaway runners have been absorbed into the leading pack. All the favourites are in it, with Hassan just a few paces off the back, on the opposite side of the road. She’s so good.
Marathon: Oh wow, Peres Jepchirchir has just floored it, reeling in Julien in the blink of an eye at serious pace. It looked like the defending champion was going to streak off into the distance, but instead as soon as she drew level she slowed up and helped herself to ice and water.
Marathon: France’s Melody Julien has made the first breakaway of the race. It’s not a massive change of pace, but it’s enough to start to string out the leading bunch. Julien has a 2:25 personal best.
Marathon: We’re reached the 10km mark, which is roughly a quarter of the race distance. All the big names are still in the leading bunch, but the serious hills begin soon and the race proper will take shape.
Passing the marker post, the main bunch of runners were all on the right hand side of the road. Sifan Hassan, running her own race, was hugging the left. It was a perfect visual metaphor.
While the women’s marathon remains our focus, at 09:00 Spain take on Slovenia for a bronze medal in the men’s handball, and Spain and Greece meet to determine fifth place in the men’s water polo. I’m going to be honest, two sports I find impossible to watch.
Marathon: The favourites are all safely among the leading pack, and they have just passed the 5km mark. They’re on track for a time around 2:27.
Marathon: Australia’s Sinead Diver is an early casualty. The 47-year-old pulled up with an injury just a few minutes into the race. Diver set a new Australian record in 2022 aged 45 – but she will not finish in Paris.
Marathon: At the 15km marker the timesheet indicates the leading bunch has been whittled down to 14 runners. The medals are going to come from that group. It contains Obiri (KEN), Jepchirchir (KEN), Lokedi (KEN), Alemu (ETH), Assefa (ETH), Shankule (ETH), and Hassan (NED).
The pace has quickened, and we’re now on track for something around 2.24.
Marathon: USA runner Fiona O’Keeffe is the third athlete to drop out of this race.
Marathon: We have a new split time everyone! The athletes are just going through 25km (15.5 miles) and it is Israel’s Salpeter who leads with Kyrgyzstan Sardana Trofimova in second and Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir in third. They will be approaching the steepest hill on the course now.
Also I have been notified the email link may not be working for some so if you would like to email me it’s [email protected].
Handball: The men’s bronze medal match has reached half-time and the timeout worked for Slovenia as they have once again levelled the match at 12-12.
Handball: The men’s bronze medal match between Spain and Slovenia got underway just a few minutes ago and Spain are currently leading 2-1.
Handball: The men’s bronze medal match is approaching half-time and it is Spain who have a slight edge with a 12-10 lead, Slovenia’s team have called a time out with just over a minute to go in the first half.
Thank you Jonathan and hello everyone. Yes I join you as the athletes just complete 10 miles in the women’s marathon, a long uphill stint has started to pull the field apart but Australia’s Jessica Stenson is making a good move here. She looks to have loved this hill where many will be feeling the lactic acid starting to build in their muscles now.
With it being the final day of the Games I’d love to hear from you on your favourite moment and which sport you think you would compete in if you were an Olympian.
This is my final sign-off for the Games, so a big thank you to everyone that has joined me over the past couple of weeks for these early sessions.
