You may have heard of the phrase ‘with love from Paris’ but I come to you today ‘with Grant from Paris’. This is the story of how an American long distance runner, Grant Fisher made it onto the podium with a bronze medal in 10000m.
United States long distance runner after claiming bronze medal
Majority of sports fans who follow Athletics closely could always predict that when it comes to long distance races, the tracks are reserved for Africans, especially our brothers from East Africa – Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, et al – with a touch of North Africa. Abebe Bikila, Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, Eliud Kipchoge, Joshua Cheptegei who now holds both world and Olympics record for 10000m lead the long list.
But the unbelievable happened yesterday when American runner, Grant Fisher fished bronze in the waters of Africa.
When the contestants in the 25-lap race were presented, I already knew that Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei was the top challenger for the title having broken a world record that spanned over a decade early this year leaving the Ethiopians and Kenyans to battle for the last 2 medals. But then I saw this fine-looking gentleman, a certain Grant Fisher from the United States of America and wondered ‘how did you even find yourself in the 10000m event not to talk about getting to the finals of an Olympics.’
Well, I thought ‘participation in the Olympics is also an achievement’ but my ‘certain Grant Fisher from the United States of America’ had bigger plans.
Zoom!
1 lap turned to 5 to 10 to 15 to 20 and then 25 laps. If you love the long distance races, you will know that it becomes fierce on the last lap. The last 200meters is particularly the most interesting part where you will see endurance runners sprint as if the spirit of Usain Bolt suddenly came upon them. And that’s what happened when Grant did the remarkable for a place on the podium after Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi. This is my first time seeing a non-African get an Olympic medal in the long distances, except of course, Mo Farah of Great Britain who hails from Africa.
From me to you today, it is ‘with Grant from Paris!’