Five Olympic Games: five memories.
Trying to sum up the Olympics in one race is a challenge, but one I’m up for. Having the privilege, 2008-2024 to participate in almost every session of Olympic athletics, I have a good place to choose.
Beijing 2008
The start of the Usain Bolt era with gold medals in the 100 and 200 seems like an easy choice, but I’m going with a more personal choice: the women’s 400m. I met Christine Ohuruogu earlier in 2008. Sania Richards was the favorite and at halfway she had just a big lead that looked like the race was over. Then Christine began to reduce the deficit, Sanya seemed to be running through quicksand. Christine won with a score of 49.62.
London 2012
It is called summer week. the 45-minute period in which Jess Ennis completed the final event in the heptathlon, Mo Farah won the 10K and Greg Rutherford the long jump.
Rutherford, who was also an Olympian, world, Champion of Europe and the Commonwealth of Nations, he always felt that he did not receive the appreciation he deserved for his achievements. Rutherford entered the press conference room and said: “Well guys, looks like I drove someone else crazy.”
His coach, Dan Pfaff, explained to me that it was a very windy day, and while Greg might not have been the absolute best long jumper, he was the one who handled the conditions the best.
Ennis was the favorite for the heptathlon, but as the face of the games, he had the added pressure of being the face of the home games. He handled the pressure and performed well. For Mo Farah, there was added pressure to try and pull off a 5K and 10K double.
Rio 2016
There have been so many stellar performances in Rio. Elaine Thompson’s sprint double. Faith Kipyegon wins 1500 m. Did we Littell know how often we would repeat that phrase? Worthy of mention is Mo Farah, who successfully defends his two titles, as well as the world record of Bolt or Wayde van Niekerk. But my choice is the women’s 5k. Vivian Cheruiyot holds the Kenyan record, but is second only to Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana’s world record, due to fair play, or lack thereof. In the 5k, Cheruiyot Hellen Obiri and Mercy Cherono came up with a plan. If none of them could defeat Ayana individually, maybe together they could. They ran as a team, potentially sacrificing individual glory for their country. It worked with Cheruiyot who won from Obiri with Ayana third. Mercy Cherono was fourth but joined the others in the lap of honor.
Tokyo 2020/2021
There were so many highlights. Successive morning world records in the 400m hurdles by Sydney McLaughlin and Carsten Warholm. Sifan Hasan falls, gets back up and still finishes in the 10K, 5K and 1500 en route to medals. But my pick is the men’s high jump, with Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim opting to share the gold medal rather than jump. . Marcel Jacobs won the 100m, it was a special day for Italy.
Paris 2024
The middle distance races were looked forward to with great British interest. The big question in the women’s 800 was whether Keely Hodkinson could finally get gold and stop being a bridesmaid. The answer is a resounding yes. Faith Kipyegon will win the 1500 with a potential minor British medal. Faith won, but not without threatening her own world record. Laura Muir set a new PR but was only fifth with Georgia Bell winning bronze in a national record GB:
In the men’s 1,500. The big question was: can josh ker beat jakob ingebrigtsen again and take olympic gold to add to last year’s world gold. And what about 2022 world champion Jake Whiteman? Whiteman was injured as a result of the incident. Kerr duly beat Ingebrigtsen, but Cole Hawker (USA) stormed in to win the race.
