El Bakkali gets Olympic double, Hall stretches to 400m gold
Morocco's steeplechase king Soufiane El Bakkali on Wednesday became just the third Arab to win double Olympic gold while Jamaica's Roje Stona upset the favourites to claim a memorable men's discus title.
In a thrilling 400m final, American Quincy Hall overtook Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith in the final metre to win the 400m and become the fourth-fastest one-lap performer in history.
A capacity 69 000 crowd at the Stade de France also saw Nina Kennedy bag a first-ever women's pole vault gold for Australia.
Three-time world champion El Bakkali timed 8min 06.05sec for victory in the 3000m steeplechase ahead of American Kenneth Rooks and Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot.
His second Olympic gold, having first win in the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games, leaves him in a small group of Arab athletes to have doubled up at the Summer Games.
๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐ฆ
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) August 7, 2024
Soufiane El Bakkali ran a season's best to earn back-to-back Gold Medals in the Men's 3000m Steeplechase ๐ฅ๐ฅ#Paris2024 #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/Yuvc7MZBG0
Only his Moroccan compatriot Hicham El Guerrouj, who won 1500m and 5 000m gold in Athens 2004, and Tunisian swimmer Oussama Mellouli (1500m freestyle in Beijing 2008 and 10km marathon in London 2012) have achieved the feat.
The discus produced a feast of high-level throwing, Stona coming out on top to upset world record holder Mykolas Alekna.
President Samuda with the Olympic Record Holder and Discus Men's Gold Medalist Roje Stona in Paris pic.twitter.com/EldrseRd9v
โ Jamaica Olympic Association (@jamaicaolympic) August 7, 2024
Lithuanian Alekna had broken the Olympic record with his best mark of 69.97m on his second effort.
But plans to emulate his father Virgilijus, who won two Olympic titles in 2000 and 2004, were scotched by the Jamaican.
Stona, coached by American Ryan Crouser who won an unprecedented third consecutive shot put gold on Saturday, stole the show when he threw out to an Olympic record of 70.00m on his fourth attempt.
On the track, Hall produced a perfectly-timed finish and savage dip for victory in the 400m in 43.40sec.
The 26-year-old pipped a desperately disappointed Hudson-Smith, who improved his own European record to 43.44sec. Zambia's Muzala Samukonga took bronze in 43.74sec.
It was the first time ever five athletes had gone below 44 seconds in the same race.
Hall became the first American man to win the one-lap event at the Olympics since LaShawn Merritt in Beijing in 2008.
"๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ, ๐'๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ ๐จ๐ง' ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ" ๐ฅ
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) August 7, 2024
Quincy Hall on his incredible victory Men's 400m victory ๐ฅ๐บ๐ธ#Paris2024 #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/fJowbTcjSo
"It means a lot," said Hall, who was only a bronze medallist at last year's world championships. "I've been putting a lot of work in. This is my second year running the 400.
"Last year I told you guys I was going to get a better medal this year. Guess what? I got one gold."
The fourth gold of the night went to Australia as Kennedy cleared a best of 4.90m.
๐ฃ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ค
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) August 7, 2024
Nina Kennedy missed out in Tokyo, and now sheโs just won GOLD in the Womenโs Pole Vault at #Paris2024๐ฅ#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/wWAx69NxFC
American Katie Moon, the defending champion with whom Kennedy had shared world gold in Budapest last year, claimed silver on countback from Canada's Alysha Newman after they both managed 4.85m.
LYLES ON TRACK
A trio of track stars safely negotiated their way into their respective event finals.
Noah Lyles qualified for the 200m final on Wednesday to stay on track for the first Olympic men's sprint treble since Usain Bolt achieved the feat at the 2016 Rio Games.
๐๐จ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐ก ๐ค
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) August 7, 2024
Botswana's Letsile Tebogo takes the win in Semi-Final 2 of the Men's 200m ๐ง๐ผ
World Champion Noah Lyles follows in second ๐
๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe's Makanakaishe Charamba finishes in 3rd #Paris2024 #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/c7RqpR9Na9
The American three-time world champion, who won the 100m by five thousandths of a second from Jamaican Kishane Thompson in 9.79sec, finished second in his semifinal behind Botswana's Letsile Tebogo.
Tebogo, also a finalist in the 100m, struck a psychological blow to Lyles, crossing the line in 19.96sec, while Lyles timed 20.08sec.
Defending champion Karsten Warholm wrapped up his semifinal to progress to Saturday's final of the 400m hurdles.
No problems for Karsten Warholm ๐ณ๐ด
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) August 5, 2024
The Olympic champion and World Record holder wins his 400m hurdles heat to advance to the semis โ #Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/HkK3mAYgTb
Warholm, who set a sensational world record in winning gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games three years ago, will be joined by arch-rivals Rai Benjamin and Alison Dos Santos, although the latter had to qualify as a fastest loser.
And finally three-time world champion Grant Holloway's quest for an elusive Olympic 110m hurdles gold remained on track.
Grant Holloway dips below 13 seconds as he qualifies quickest in the Men's 110m Hurdles.
โ SuperSport ๐ (@SuperSportTV) August 7, 2024
Here's the start list for the final ๐#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/n52KLLYU7I
The 26-year-old American streaked home in an impressive 12.98sec, finishing far ahead of the rest of the field after a dynamite start.
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