Grant Fisher joined Lewis Tewanima (1912), Billy Mills (1964) and Galen Rupp (2012) as the only American men to medal in the 10,000m at the Olympics, winning bronze in a close final on Friday night at the Stade de France.
Fisher was narrowly pipped to the line by Ethiopa’s Berihu Aregawi, who picked up the silver in a photo-finish.
There were also strong efforts from Americans Nico Young (26:58.11) and William Kincaid (27:29.40), who finished 12th and 16th. But it was Fisher who made US history. In a cool night in Paris, he ran his best time of the season, clocking in at 26 minutes, 43.46 seconds. Aregawi ran a 26:43.44.
You HAVE to watch this finish by American Grant Fisher in the men's 10,000m final! 😱 #ParisOlympics
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 2, 2024
📺 NBC, E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/TIkHabiTFj
“I’ve been close to the medals before,” Fisher said. “But I haven’t gotten one until today.”
Fisher’s bronze marked the first US medal in track and field at the Paris Games.
“So many things have to go right to get on the podium,” said Fisher, who finished fifth in the 10,000m in Tokyo. “I’m happy that they did.”
After stumbling with about nine laps to go, Fisher surged back to reach the lead group heading into the final laps. Whether or not the American could hold on for a medal was a question, but who would take home the gold was never in doubt.
Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda took the lead with a little more than a lap left in a masterpiece of a 10,000m final to win in an Olympic-record 26:43.14 seconds in front of a roaring crowd on an electric opening night for track at the Paris Games.
The world record-holder raced in the middle of a strung-out pack for most of the 25 laps on the calm. Then he took off around the curve and held the lead over the final 500 meters against a crowd of Ethiopians who set a blistering pace all night.
This was Cheptegei’s season opener on the track this season – his only race at this distance was a 26:53 run in a cross-country road race earlier this season.
He looked in peak form, turning a race being controlled by Aregawi and his Ethiopian teammates, who strung out the pack early and took turns in the lead, into a celebration for Uganda, which captured its first gold in the 112-year history of this race at the Olympics.
The win earned Cheptegei $50,000 – a new prize for Olympic track this year – and a chance to ring the bell at the end of the stadium that is reserved only for newly crowned Olympic champions.
Cheptegei adds this to the silver medal he won in Tokyo and the world titles he took in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
“Now, my collection is complete,” he said. “I was the world champion. Now, I win the Olympic title. I’m so excited.”
