A total of 27 countries claimed gold medals in athletics at the Olympics, two more than the previous record One of the biggest takeaways from the Olympics is that so many nations had success in Paris. Although the US dominated in athletics with 34 medals in total – more than the next five countries put together – 43 countries were represented on the table, matching Tokyo as the most in the sport for 20 years. Botswana, Pakistan, Dominica and Saint Lucia obtained their first ever Olympic medals in athletics, taking the total number of countries to 105 now.
Thea LaFond and Julien Alfred claimed their respective Olympic triple jump and 100m titles on the same night (August 3) and they were the first gold medals that Dominica and Saint Lucia had won in any sport at the Games. Letsile Tebogo’s victory in the 200m secured Botswana’s maiden Olympic gold medal and Arshad Nadeem’s javelin win saw Pakistan on the top of an Olympic podium for the first time since LA 1984. The other notable mention is Ecuador, with Brian Pintando winning the 20km walk and then partnering Glenda Morejón to silver in the mixed marathon walk relay.
Pintando’s gold medal was the first in athletics for his country since Jefferson Pérez achieved the feat in the same event at Atlanta 1996. All in all, 75 countries placed inside the top eight across all athletics events at the Olympics, showcasing the strength in depth of talent in the sport. Julien Alfred’s win in the Olympic 100m final saw the Saint Lucian create history as she claimed her country’s first ever Olympic medal.
The fact that it was gold made it even sweeter. Alfred looked supreme and untroubled in a wet Stade de France and ran a national record of 10.72 to beat world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson.
Alfred eased through the rounds and clocked 10.95 and 10.84 in her heat and semi-final.
When the starting gun went off in the final, it was no surprise to see the 23-year-old get out of the blocks and into her stride quickly. Alfred was untouchable when it mattered the most and victory was never in doubt, sparking wild celebrations on the island. A few days later Alfred followed up her 100m gold with silver in the 200m, finishing behind Gabby Thomas with 22.
08. When Thea LaFond won the world indoor triple jump title back in March, she stated afterwards that she wanted “to be an inspiration for people in my beautiful country in the Caribbean”. If LaFond wasn’t already a household name across Dominica from that victory in Glasgow then she definitely would’ve been after Olympic gold in Paris.
The 30-year-old was just one of four Dominican athletes at the Games but stood on the top of the Olympic podium. LaFond recorded a best of 15.02m in the triple jump and that was more than enough for the gold medal, with Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts coming closest with 14.
87m. Already a double Commonwealth medallist in the event, LaFond went into 2024 with high expectations but even this might’ve been beyond her wildest dreams. Botswana has a rich history at the Olympics and the country made its debut at Moscow 1980.
Nijel Amos won Botswana’s first ever Olympic medal at London 2012, finishing second to David Rudisha – who set the world 800m record of 1:40.91 – over two laps. However, before Paris 2024 the country had never won gold.
That all changed however when Letsile Tebogo blew everyone away in the 200m at the Stade de France, running 19.46 to take the gold medal. Not only was it the joint-ninth fastest time in history but Tebogo beat double world 200m champion Noah Lyles, who later revealed he ran the race with Covid.
Tebogo then returned to help anchor Botswana to 4x400m silver behind the US. The 21-year-old paid tribute to his mum, who sadly passed away back in May, afterwards and received a heroes welcome on return to Botswana. When you think of Pakistan v India, your mind will instantly turn to cricket.
However, at the Olympics the two nations battled it out in the javelin, with Arshad Nadeem going up against Neeraj Chopra for the biggest prize in the sport. Chopra, who was the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo, went into Paris as the favourite but Nadeem had claimed the Commonwealth crown in 2022. Nadeem set his sight on gold from the outset with a stunning Olympic record of 92.
97m in his first throw and going sixth on the javelin all-time list in the process. Chopra’s best of 89.45m was enough for the silver medal, meaning that Nadeem had won Pakistan’s first ever Olympic gold medal in athletics and the first in any sport since their field hockey team won at LA 1984.
The last time a South American country won the Olympic men’s 20km race walk was at Atlanta 1996 when Ecuador’s Jefferson Pérez struck gold. On the streets of the Parisian capital, Brian Pintado followed in the footseteps of his compatriot Pérez and stood on the top of the podium in the French capital. Pintado recorded a time of 1:18:55 and beat Brazil’s Caio Bonfim by 14 seconds.
The Ecuadorian then teamed up with Glenda Morejón to claim silver in the marathon mixed relay, finishing behind the Spanish pair of Álvaro Martín and María Pérez. With two medals for Ecuador at Paris 2024, the country has now got four medals in athletics – the other being Pérez getting 20km race walk silver at Beijing 2008 – in their history..
