American Sprinter Grant Fisher Ends Decade-Long Drought with Historic Medal Finish

Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi clinched silver by narrowly outpacing American Grant Fisher in a gripping finish.

SAINT-DENIS, France — Ugandan runner Joshua Cheptegei captured gold in the 10,000-meter final on Friday. He finished in an Olympic-record time of 26 minutes, 43.14 seconds, thrilling the packed crowd at Stade de France.

Cheptegei bided his time within the pack for most of the race. As the finish neared, he surged with a bold move that outpaced a strong Ethiopian contingent. This calculated push secured Uganda’s first-ever Olympic gold in this event.

American Grant Fisher claimed bronze, marking the first U.S. medal in the Olympic 10,000 meters since 2012. Despite a tenacious race, he was bested by Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi for silver. Fisher’s performance was historic for U.S. distance running.

This victory was Cheptegei’s season opener for the track. He last raced at this distance earlier this season, clocking a 26:53 in a cross-country road race. In peak form, he turned a race dominantly led by Ethiopians into a triumph for Uganda.

The gold won Cheptegei $50,000, a new prize for Olympic champions. He also rang the victory bell, a tradition reserved for newly crowned Olympic champions at the Stade de France. This accomplishment adds to his collection of silver from Tokyo and multiple world titles.

“Now, my collection is complete,” Cheptegei stated. “I was the world champion. Now, I am the Olympic champion. I’m so excited.”

Iron woman Sifan Hassan began her ambitious Olympic campaign, finishing second in the first round of the 5,000 meters. Hassan, who won multiple medals in Tokyo, plans to compete in the 10,000 meters and the marathon as well. Driven by curiosity and ambition, Hassan’s journey is one to watch.

The U.S. mixed 4×400 meter relay team set a world record, blazing through the race in 3 minutes, 7.41 seconds. The team, comprising Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon, and Kaylyn Brown, now prepares for Saturday’s final, where the record is again at risk.

In the shot put, Americans Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs, along with New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, advanced to the final. Crouser, despite an elbow injury, needed only one throw to qualify. Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri also showed strong performance with the evening’s best throw.

American Jasmine Moore secured her spot in the triple jump finals with an impressive 14.43-meter jump. Leyanis Perez Hernandez of Cuba led the night with a 14.68-meter jump. The competition remains open, notably due to the absence of defending champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela.