Heptathlon, Women

Belgian Nafi Thiam had won heptathlon gold in 2016 and 2020, and was looking for a three-peat, never before done in a multi-event at the Olympics, men or women. Only American Jackie Joyner-Kersee had even won two golds in the heptathlon, back in 1988-1992. Thiam’s biggest challenger was Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson, with American Anna Hall also expected to challenge for a medal, although she was still recovering from knee surgery in January 2024.

After two events, those three were in the lead, KJT 24 points ahead of Thiam, with Hall another nine back. Thiam then won the shot put to open a 50-point lead over Johnson-Thompson, as Hall continued in third, but now 55 points behind KJT. The first day ended with Johnson-Thompson winning the 200 metres in 23.44 to move back into the lead, Thiam trailing by 48 points. Hall remained in third but was 99 points behind KJT.

The long jump saw Johnson-Thompson and Thiam maintain their positions, but Hall struggled, seemingly hampered by her knee, and dropped to sixth place, and was out of the race for bronze, as the Belgian Noor Vidts moved into third. Thiam moved back into the lead after the javelin throw, one of her best events, and was a full 121 points ahead of KJT, an important margin as Johnson-Thompson was the better 800 metre runner. Hall ran the fastest 800 metres in 2:04.39, but it could only move her up to fifth place. Johnson-Thompson was second in a personal best of 2:04.90 but, behind her, Thiam also ran a PR of 2:10.62 to hang on to the gold medal. Vidts had the fourth fastest time in the 800 with 2:06.38 to bring her the bronze medal.

Thiam’s three-peat was the second of the Paris 2024 athletics programme, after Ryan Crouser (USA) had done so in the men’s shot put. Thiam also became only the second woman to ever three-peat in an Olympic athletics event, after Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk in the 2012-2020 hammer throw. The day after Thiam’s gold, Faith Kipyegon (KEN) would also three-peat in the women’s 1,500 metres.