The Olympic athletics program, featuring both the shortest and longest events, showcased performances of remarkable quality and dramatic tension, set against a distinctive purple backdrop that will forever symbolize Paris. The highest-quality men's 100 meters race and a late-night pole vault world record illuminated the first week, while Sifan Hassan's marathon victory on the final day, completing an almost unbelievable hat trick of medals, was a fitting climax.
"It's been fantastic and I think the quality of athletics at the moment is almost beyond description," said Sebastian Coe, head of World Athletics. "I can't remember a time when we've had such a bandwidth of excellence." This was particularly evident in the men's 100 meters where Noah Lyles edged Kishane Thompson at the finish line by five thousandths of a second in 9.79. The six men behind them also clocked sub-10 seconds, a first in a legal race.
Lyles, known as the sport's biggest showman, couldn't double up, settling for bronze in the 200 meters and later revealing he ran with Covid. Instead, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo became the first African to win the event. The United States set a world record in the mixed 4x400 relay, but Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's obliteration of her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles was of a different caliber. Mondo Duplantis also surpassed his own pole vault world record in a dramatic moment at the Stade de France.
Coe had hoped the men's 1,500 meters would be a "race for the ages," and it was, though not as expected. Briton Josh Kerr delivered the race of his life to overtake defending champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, only for long-shot American Cole Hocker to surge past both and win in a personal best, one of the biggest upsets of the Games. Ingebrigtsen recovered to win the 5,000 meters, while Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon achieved an unprecedented hat-trick in the women's 1,500 meters.
The United States, typically dominant in shorter distances, found remarkable success across various events in Paris. Yared Nuguse's bronze behind Hocker marked the first time in 112 years that two Americans medaled in the 1,500 meters. Grant Fisher and Kenneth Rooks secured impressive bronze and silver medals, respectively, in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase. After a lean showing in Tokyo, the US returned with 14 gold, 11 silver, and nine bronze medals, setting the stage for the next Games in Los Angeles.
In contrast, Jamaica struggled, barely making an impact in the sprints they usually dominate, with their only gold coming as a surprise in discus from Roje Stona. The hosts also had a forgettable campaign, saved from complete failure by Cyrena Samba-Mayela's silver in the 100-meter hurdles on the final night of track action. The women's marathon provided a thrilling finale as Dutchwoman Hassan completed her unprecedented treble, standing alongside athletics legend Emil Zatopek.
Forty-three countries won athletics medals, with Saint Lucia, Dominica, and Pakistan securing their first-ever golds through Julian Alfred, Thea LaFond, and Arshad Nadeem in the women's 100 meters, women's triple jump, and men's javelin, respectively.
