Almanac (Paris 2024) Olympics – Rabbit in the Vineyard: 33 moments other than gold

September 26, 2024 by 4 Comments

 

 

 

The Games of the 33rd Olympiad – Paris 2024

33 moments other than gold (in no particular order)

1. Jess Hull (Australia) – silver, 1500m … follows Edwin Flack, John Landy and Herb Elliott as 1500m Olympic medallists – quite a list!
2. Matt Denny (Australia) – bronze, discus. Allora’s finest.
3. Pat Tiernan (Australia) – 24th in the marathon, in 2hrs 10mins. Best time by an Australian at an Olympics. One of Toowoomba’s best.
4. Botswana, population 2.6 million – silver men’s 4x400m relay – Lestile Tobago: second fastest relay split in history, behind the great Michael Johnson.
5. Ireland – fourth placed women’s 4x400m relay – narrowly missing the bronze. Grit.
6. Australian women’s water polo team – the Stingers – silver, beat the US along the way.
7. Eliud Kipchoge – after pulling out of the marathon, he gave away most of his kit to spectators, why? “It’s the Olympic spirit”.
8. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mongolia) – first athlete in history to compete in six Olympic marathons.
9. Payton Craig (800m) – “mate, give me a year and I’ll be beating these blokes”.
10. Michelle Jenneke in the repechage 100m hurdles – badly injured (ruptured hamstring tendon) – still competed.
11. Netherlands – silver in the women’s 4x400m to sit alongside the gold in the mixed 4x400m .
12. Harry Garside- boxing.
13. Women’s HJ – Australia silver and bronze (Nicola Olyslagers, Eleanor Paterson).
14. Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) – what a treble: two bronze medals – 5000m & 10,000m, then won the marathon in a sprint finish, by three seconds!
15. Opals – bronze – Lauren Jackson (5 medals) – is she retired?
16. Matthew Glatzer – fourth Olympics, first medals (two bronze).
17. Kyle Chalmers – relay swimmer extraordinaire (Men’s 4x100m freestyle – silver).
18. The Australian Athletics team – best since Melbourne 1956 – one gold, two silver, six bronze.
19. Jemima Montag – bronze in 20km walk – her post race interview was priceless! Search it up.
20. Zac Stubblety-Cook – one of the great all-time names – silver behind the French powerhouse Marchand in the 200m breastroke.
21. Australian men’s 4x200m freestyle relay – stormed home for an unexpected bronze medal.
22. Kyle Chalmers (South Australia – Port Lincoln, Immanuel College), silver in men’s 100m freestyle. Summary: seven Olympic medals – one gold, three silver, three bronze.
23. Australian mixed 4x100m medley relay: bronze.
24. ‘Farmer’ Fred Kerley (USA), snuck through for bronze in the 100m – Fred has a different personality to Noah Lyles …
25. The Refugee team – won first medal: Cindy Ngamba – bronze in 75kg boxing.
26. The Australian swim team: 19 medals – three bronze, nine silver, seven gold.
27. Australian women’s 4x100m relay team: first team on the track in this event since Sydney 2000. (Connolly, Masters, Edwards, Lewis)
28. Australian men’s 4x100m relay team – broke the national record in the semi-final. Unlucky not to qualify for the final. (Kennedy, Despard, Law, Azzopardi)
29. Bruce McAvaney – great late draft pick, ABC radio!
30. Georgia Bell – Great Britain (1500m – bronze) on the comeback – retired in 2017, started running again in 2022 (Park Runs!) – at 30 years of age, wins bronze!
31. Torrie Lewis – St Peters Lutheran College senior 2022, sprinter: qualified for the semi finals in the 200m.
32. LA 28 – bring it on!
33. Brisvegas 32- bring it on!
34. Roy & HG: in my opinion, the boys have still got it, after it all began as ‘This Sporting Life’ on Double J in 1986.

 

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Barossa Classics – Sorby Adams Wines

 

 

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About Russel Hansen

Russel Hansen Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher, coach, coach educator, sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles. Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics, he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field, and cross country. He has coached (athletics) at all levels from school to international. His squad at the University of Queensland (to January 2023) included Lachlan Kennedy OLY, Paris 4x100m relay runner, Australian record holder. He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters. Twitter: @Russel_Hansen

Comments

  1. Ian Hauser says
    September 26, 2024 at 8:51 am

    RITV, it just goes to show that there are many more ways to win than by coming first. A great cross-section of examples!

  2. Rodney Boyd says
    September 26, 2024 at 5:00 pm

    Great stuff Russell

    One I thought of was the Woman’s Marathon the runner from Bhutan finished just under an hour behind second last and there was still a full crowd there to cheer her home in the last 100 metres or so.

    Could not argue with the rest

  3. Russel Hansen says
    September 28, 2024 at 6:57 am

    Thanks Rodney – yes, marathons are full of great stories, great moments, as you point out. Olympic marathon courses are certainly ‘spectacular’ these days too, in cities like Paris! Spectacular for us watching from the comfort of our longue chairs …

  4. Russel Hansen says
    September 28, 2024 at 6:59 am

    Thanks Ian, my cross section certainly shows some bias to athletics, and to the St Peters Western Swim Club!

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