PREVIEW: Road | 2024 Paris Olympic Games

The picturesque Paris will set the scene for a historic marathon as national record holder Sinead Diver paves the way for six Australian competitors, who will be joined by fellow Australian record holder Jemima Montag as she leads a contingent of eight race walkers in an Olympic Games encompassing both tradition and innovation.

Overview

Australia’s strongest medal chance on the road comes in the form of the inaugural Olympic mixed marathon race walk relay and women’s 20km race walk, headlined by Montag (VIC, Brent Vallance) who has established herself as a leader in the nation’s race-walking resurgence.

Following in the footsteps of a golden era of headed by Australia’s most decorated athletics Olympian Jared Tallent, the crop of walkers led by Montag, two-time Olympian Rhydian Cowley (VIC, Brent Vallance) and Tokyo debutants Declan Tingay (WA, Brent Vallance) and Rebecca Henderson (VIC, Simon Baker) will be eyeing both individual and team success at Pont d’Iena – a bridge spanning the River Seine.

While Montag looks to become Australia’s second medallist in the women’s 20km event after Jane Saville secured bronze in 2004, the mixed marathon race walk relay may prove Australia’s strongest medal chance – having qualified two teams at the 2024 World Athletics Race Walking Teams Championships.

The discipline will see two athletes, one male and one female, alternating over four legs of similar distance to equate to the 42.195km marathon distance. Included in the squads are individual 20km walkers Kyle Swan (VIC, Jared Tallent) and Olivia Sandery (SA, Jared Tallent), while Allanah Pitcher (NSW, Frank Overton) and Will Thompson (VIC, Brent Vallance) are the reserves.

Beginning at Hotel de Ville and finishing in Les Invalides, the Paris Olympic marathon will take place on an iconic route through the city’s sights and landmarks, as Australia’s team of six take on a challenging marathon course in a major championship environment.

Leading the women is Australian record holder Diver (VIC, Nic Bideau) who owns a stunning 2:21:34 personal best, joined by Commonwealth champion Jessica Stenson (SA, Adam Didyk) and Genevieve Gregson (QLD, Nic Bideau).

Diver finished in 10th place at the Tokyo Games to secure the highest placing of any Australian woman outside of 1988 silver medallist Lisa Ondieki, and will head the nation’s renowned Marathon Mums who boast world-class credentials.

On the men’s side, Patrick Tiernan (QLD, Alistair Cragg and Amy Cragg) returns to the Olympic stage after becoming a household name when giving his all for his country over 10,000m in Tokyo, this time taking on the grueling 42.2km distance. Clocking the second fastest Australian time in history with his 2:07:45 performance in January, Tiernan will hit the roads alongside Olympic debutant Andrew Buchanan (VIC, Scott Westcott) who replaces an injured Brett Robinson, as well as Liam Adams (VIC, Ken Hall), who toes the line for his third Olympic Games.

Ones to Watch 

Joining an exclusive club when becoming a four-time Olympian, Gregson is set to complete her fairytale comeback after Tokyo heartbreak when rupturing her Achilles in the 3000m steeplechase.

Few athletes have dominated global athletics like marathon icon Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) who looms as the headline act in his bid for a historic three-peat of Olympic marathon triumphs.

The race walking competition is set to be fierce as World Championships silver medallist Montag joins forces with her compatriots to battle robust competition headed by Spain who boast the reigning men’s and women’s world champions over 20km – Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez.

Sport Format

There are no second chances on the roads of Paris with all five athletics events to be contested as straight finals, with medals up for grabs in some of the deepest fields of the Olympic Games.

Attracting significant qualifiers in both the men’s (84) and women’s (95) marathons, the Paris traffic will be heavy en route to the podium, while Australia is one of only five countries to qualify two teams in the field of 25 for the Mixed Marathon Race Walk Relay.

Competition Schedule

Athletics begins on 1 August 2024 with the race walk for men and women at the Trocadero.

Track and field will be held at Stade de France hosts from 2-10 August.

The men’s and women’s marathon will be held on 10 and 11 August, respectively.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia and Australian Olympic Committee
Posted 28/07/2024