In one of the most electric finishes of the Paris Olympics, former Stanford runner Grant Fisher became the second American in 56 years to medal in the men’s 10,000-meter track event.
Fisher passed nearly everybody on the home stretch to finish the 6.2-mile race in 26:43.46, a nose hair behind Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi (26:43.44) and a fraction of a second behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei (26:43.14), the world-record holder who set a new Olympic record on Friday.
Fisher, 27, nearly saw his race come to a crashing end when he slipped on the inside rail with nine laps to go.
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Comfortably in second place and hugging the inside track for the first 16 laps, Fisher saw the pace at the top slow down and runners come flying around him on the outside. Shoulders were bumping and Fisher’s left ankle caught the inside rail, twisting slightly and causing Fisher to stumble into the runner in front of him.
But he caught himself at the last minute, stayed on his feet and managed to keep pace.
In fifth place for the next eight laps, Fisher waited patiently to make his move. On the final turn, he flew around the outside and surged by three runners. He looked destined for the silver medal before Arehawai caught him by 0.02 seconds in a photo finish.
Fisher was all smiles as he grabbed an American flag, draped it around his back and raced around the track before greeting his family in the front row.
In the last 56 years, only Galen Rupp, who won a bronze in London in 2012, has won a medal in the men’s 10,000.
But Fisher has been seen as a contender for the last two years. In 2022, he set the American record in the 10,000 with a 26:33.84 time, the ninth-fastest time ever recorded worldwide.
Before that, he finished fifth in Tokyo in 2021.
While at Stanford from 2015 to 2019, Fisher majored in electrical engineering while becoming a 12-time All-American on the track. He won a national title in the 5,000 as a sophomore.
Born in Calgary, he grew up in Michigan and now trains in Park City, Utah.
You HAVE to watch this finish by American Grant Fisher in the men's 10,000m final! #ParisOlympics
NBC, E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/TIkHabiTFj
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 2, 2024
Azja Czajkowski came two seconds from the podium in the women’s rowing pair on Friday morning in France.
The 23-year-old was paired up with 28-year-old Jess Thoennes as the two made it all the way to the finals, but finished their race in 7:05.31. A pair from Australia took the bronze in 7:03.54. The gold medalists from the Netherlands finished in 6:58.67.
Czajkowski was a Collegiate Rowing Division I Athlete of the Year her final year at Stanford in 2023. She finished her collegiate career as one of the most decorated rowers in Stanford history.
But she was cut from the women’s eight boat just before qualifying, only to be paired up with Thoennes two weeks before trials in April.
The two got faster each race in Paris and came close to becoming the first American women ever to podium in the coxless pair.
Cal alum Collin Morikawa shot a 4-under 68 to move up 10 spots into 19th place in the men’s golf competition.
With two rounds remaining, San Diego native Xander Schauffele is 11-under and in a three-way tie for the lead with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood.
Morikawa, who golfed for Cal from 2015 to 2019, previously represented the United States in Tokyo, where he lost a playoff for the bronze medal.
All 60 golfers competing will play through the weekend, with medals given out on Sunday.
